Thoughts on Mother's Day
Delivered on May 9th, 2010 at the United Church of Nelson, NH.
Sermon
Mother's Day is such a tough time for many mothers, myself included. My own daughter is many miles away, in Canada. Though we talk on the phone, it isn't the same as having her arms wrapped around me. So many times, we take Mother's Day to be a day of joy, of remembrance of what our mothers did for us, and we celebrate the Hallmark Occasion. But for so many, it is not a Hallmark moment.
Think for a moment on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She has a visitation from an angel, and he tells her she'll be pregnant and carry the Son of God. What could have gone through her mind? Honor, yes, but what about fear? What would she tell her parents? Would she be believed? At the time it happened, she wasn't married, and we're not even sure if she was betrothed. Regardless of the great honor God bestowed upon her, surely it must have been a time of chaos. That same chaos is shared by many unwed mothers today.
Today, I want to talk about mothers. How many women do you know who long desperately for families of their own, but battle fertility issues? How many have lost children to miscarriage or stillbirth? Do you know any women who no longer talk to their own mothers due to issues of abuse or neglect? Today, this day of celebration, salts the wound of childlessness, bereavement, and estrangement.
Another thing that can cause such painful wounds is the stereotype of motherhood as necessary, as if mothers are somehow better than women who choose not to be mothers. How must it feel to be a nurturing, caring, involved individual who chooses not to have a child, and then hear about how motherhood is the greatest privilege and trust God ever gave to women, and that mother's love is the closest love to God's?
Each of us, even you men, can be mothers. What is a mother, after all? Perhaps a better word would be “nurturer” because it's something easily done by either gender. Anyone, of any gender, age, race, creed, or color, who has nurtured a child, an adult, a friend, a parent... is a mother. Really, I think motherhood comes down to one word: love.
Now, don't think that I'm saying we should ignore those who have done the exhausting, emotionally draining work of being biological (or adoptive) mothers. I'm not – they deserve our laud and praise, too! We just need to be aware that not everyone has a positive experience. We need to remember that what one person sees as wonderful, another might only find pain in.
I'd like to share a prayer with you, written by Tom Trinidad for his United Methodist Church's celebration of Mother's Day in 2005.
Lord, on this day set aside to honor and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from your hands, and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving us birth.
We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mom, adopted mom, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our moms.
We pray for older moms whose children are grown.
Grant them joy and satisfaction for a job well done.
We pray for new moms experiencing changes they could not predict.
Grant them rest and peace as they trust you for the future.
We pray for pregnant women who will soon be moms.
Grant them patience and good counsel in the coming months.
We pray for moms who face the demands of single parenthood.
Grant them strength and wisdom.
We pray for moms who enjoy financial abundance.
Grant them time to share with their families.
We pray for moms who are raising their children in poverty.
Grant them relief and justice.
We pray for step-moms.
Grant them patience and understanding and love.
We pray for moms who are separated from their children.
Grant them faith and hope.
We pray for moms in marriages that are in crisis.
Grant them support and insight.
We pray for moms who have lost children.
Grant them comfort in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We pray for mothers who aborted their children.
Grant them healing and peace.
We pray for moms who gave up their children for adoption.
Grant them peace and confidence as they trust in your providence.
We pray for adoptive mothers.
Grant them joy and gratitude for the gift you have provided.
We pray for girls and women who think about being moms.
Grant them wisdom and discernment.
We pray for women who desperately want, or wanted, to be moms.
Grant them grace to accept your timing and will.
We pray for all women who have assumed the mother’s role in a child’s life.
Grant them joy and the appreciation of others.
We pray for those people present who are grieving the loss of their mother in the past year.
Grant them comfort and hope in Christ’s resurrection.
Lord, we thank you for the gift of motherhood. We thank you for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Lois. Hear now the first names of other women who have inspired us by their motherly examples.
Think for a moment on all those women (and men!). Speak their names now, either out loud or in the silence of your heart.
We are mindful this day of all these women, and especially Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the courage in faith to say “yes” to your calling. May these women gathered here today emulate these examples of faith. And may they model for all the rest of us what it means to be your disciple. Bless them on this special day; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
As you go home today, as you follow through on whatever plans you have for your own mother, or for yourself, take a bit of time to remember those who have made the effort to nurture you. Think of the wonderful examples given to us, both in the Bible and here among your own congregation. Through sorrows and joys, all of you who are nurturers have held things together. All of you have been collectively responsible for the way this church has grown.
I leave you with these words of Benediction, by Janet Morley:
May the blessings of the God of Abraham and Sarah,
and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary,
and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world
as a mother over her children,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Sermon
Mother's Day is such a tough time for many mothers, myself included. My own daughter is many miles away, in Canada. Though we talk on the phone, it isn't the same as having her arms wrapped around me. So many times, we take Mother's Day to be a day of joy, of remembrance of what our mothers did for us, and we celebrate the Hallmark Occasion. But for so many, it is not a Hallmark moment.
Think for a moment on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She has a visitation from an angel, and he tells her she'll be pregnant and carry the Son of God. What could have gone through her mind? Honor, yes, but what about fear? What would she tell her parents? Would she be believed? At the time it happened, she wasn't married, and we're not even sure if she was betrothed. Regardless of the great honor God bestowed upon her, surely it must have been a time of chaos. That same chaos is shared by many unwed mothers today.
Today, I want to talk about mothers. How many women do you know who long desperately for families of their own, but battle fertility issues? How many have lost children to miscarriage or stillbirth? Do you know any women who no longer talk to their own mothers due to issues of abuse or neglect? Today, this day of celebration, salts the wound of childlessness, bereavement, and estrangement.
Another thing that can cause such painful wounds is the stereotype of motherhood as necessary, as if mothers are somehow better than women who choose not to be mothers. How must it feel to be a nurturing, caring, involved individual who chooses not to have a child, and then hear about how motherhood is the greatest privilege and trust God ever gave to women, and that mother's love is the closest love to God's?
Each of us, even you men, can be mothers. What is a mother, after all? Perhaps a better word would be “nurturer” because it's something easily done by either gender. Anyone, of any gender, age, race, creed, or color, who has nurtured a child, an adult, a friend, a parent... is a mother. Really, I think motherhood comes down to one word: love.
Now, don't think that I'm saying we should ignore those who have done the exhausting, emotionally draining work of being biological (or adoptive) mothers. I'm not – they deserve our laud and praise, too! We just need to be aware that not everyone has a positive experience. We need to remember that what one person sees as wonderful, another might only find pain in.
I'd like to share a prayer with you, written by Tom Trinidad for his United Methodist Church's celebration of Mother's Day in 2005.
Lord, on this day set aside to honor and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from your hands, and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving us birth.
We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mom, adopted mom, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our moms.
We pray for older moms whose children are grown.
Grant them joy and satisfaction for a job well done.
We pray for new moms experiencing changes they could not predict.
Grant them rest and peace as they trust you for the future.
We pray for pregnant women who will soon be moms.
Grant them patience and good counsel in the coming months.
We pray for moms who face the demands of single parenthood.
Grant them strength and wisdom.
We pray for moms who enjoy financial abundance.
Grant them time to share with their families.
We pray for moms who are raising their children in poverty.
Grant them relief and justice.
We pray for step-moms.
Grant them patience and understanding and love.
We pray for moms who are separated from their children.
Grant them faith and hope.
We pray for moms in marriages that are in crisis.
Grant them support and insight.
We pray for moms who have lost children.
Grant them comfort in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We pray for mothers who aborted their children.
Grant them healing and peace.
We pray for moms who gave up their children for adoption.
Grant them peace and confidence as they trust in your providence.
We pray for adoptive mothers.
Grant them joy and gratitude for the gift you have provided.
We pray for girls and women who think about being moms.
Grant them wisdom and discernment.
We pray for women who desperately want, or wanted, to be moms.
Grant them grace to accept your timing and will.
We pray for all women who have assumed the mother’s role in a child’s life.
Grant them joy and the appreciation of others.
We pray for those people present who are grieving the loss of their mother in the past year.
Grant them comfort and hope in Christ’s resurrection.
Lord, we thank you for the gift of motherhood. We thank you for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Lois. Hear now the first names of other women who have inspired us by their motherly examples.
Think for a moment on all those women (and men!). Speak their names now, either out loud or in the silence of your heart.
We are mindful this day of all these women, and especially Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the courage in faith to say “yes” to your calling. May these women gathered here today emulate these examples of faith. And may they model for all the rest of us what it means to be your disciple. Bless them on this special day; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
As you go home today, as you follow through on whatever plans you have for your own mother, or for yourself, take a bit of time to remember those who have made the effort to nurture you. Think of the wonderful examples given to us, both in the Bible and here among your own congregation. Through sorrows and joys, all of you who are nurturers have held things together. All of you have been collectively responsible for the way this church has grown.
I leave you with these words of Benediction, by Janet Morley:
May the blessings of the God of Abraham and Sarah,
and of Jesus Christ born of our sister Mary,
and of the Holy Spirit, who broods over the world
as a mother over her children,
be upon you and remain with you always.
