First Reading - 2 Samuel 6:12-15,17-19
Gospel - Mark 3:31-35
The First Reading from 2 Samuel is filled with movement and joy. David brings the ark of God into Jerusalem, dancing with abandon before the Lord. This is not calculated behavior or royal performance. It is the response of a heart overwhelmed by God’s nearness. David forgets dignity, image, and public opinion. What matters to him is that God is present among the people.
After the ark is placed in the tent, David blesses the people and shares food with everyone. Joy overflows into generosity. Worship does not end with personal emotion; it becomes shared blessing. David’s relationship with God reshapes his leadership, turning authority into service and celebration into communion.
The Gospel from Mark presents a quieter but challenging moment. Jesus is told that his mother and relatives are outside asking for him. Instead of responding with urgency or explanation, Jesus looks at those seated around him and redefines family. Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.
Jesus is not rejecting his family. He is expanding the meaning of belonging. Relationship with God creates a new kind of family, one formed not by blood or proximity, but by listening and responding to God’s will. Faith is not inherited automatically; it is lived through obedience and openness.
Dear friends, true belonging is not about position or privilege. It is about presence and participation. David belongs before God because his heart is fully engaged in worship. The disciples belong to Jesus because they sit with him, listen to him, and follow God’s will.
Many people struggle with feeling unseen, unimportant, or on the margins. Others rely heavily on roles, titles, or relationships to define their worth. Today’s word brings freedom. God invites us into belonging that cannot be taken away. When we make space for God’s presence and choose to live according to God’s will, we find ourselves at home.
It also challenges us. Belonging to God’s family means more than claiming identity. It means allowing our lives to be shaped by God’s desires. Like David, it may call us to joyful humility. Like the disciples, it may ask us to listen before we act.
Let joy in God’s presence shape your worship. Let obedience shape your identity. Step beyond limited definitions of belonging and discover the wider family God is forming.
When we place God at the center, joy becomes freedom. When we do God’s will, relationships deepen. And when we live as part of God’s family, our lives become places where blessing is shared, love is expanded, and belonging is finally secure.
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