Usually, a family consists of two parents raising their children; however, this model also extends to include other forms of social units that embody love, care and shared responsibility.
It is truly remarkable that in the midst of His unimaginable suffering, Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross in agony, still showed deep concern for His earthly family. He ensured His mother's well-being, entrusting her to the care of His beloved disciple, John. Jesus said to John, "Behold your mother! ..."
From that moment, John took Mary into his home and cared for her as his own mother. By this time, it is widely believed that Joseph, Mary's husband, had passed. Early church tradition tells us that Mary lived with John in Jerusalem for about eleven years before her passing, while other accounts suggest she later lived in Ephesus, where John ministered.
The key lesson here is that in both life and death, Jesus demonstrated the importance of family commitment. He valued relationships and modeled for us what it means to care for those we love. When nearly everyone else deserted Him, His mother remained faithfully by the cross! In that sacred moment, God showed us that, family is meant to be one of His divine support systems, a refuge in life's storms.
Today, many struggle because this vital support system has been weakened or neglected. We see families where fathers carry out physical abuses on the mother in front of their children, which is not to be so.
Our homes should be the last place where we practice violence. Instead we should live in peace more often.