Today is Mothering Sunday, a day when we think about and honour the mothers in our lives.
It can be a painful day for many whose mothers are no longer here, for those who long to be mothers but who have no children, for those whose experience of motherhood has not matched the rosy picture we often have of this, but it can also be a day of joy as we celebrate people whose selflessness and love make the world a better place.
Motherhood is probably one of the hardest roles in life and one which is often undervalued in our Western society. Mothers are often jugglers, trying to manage a household and often paid employment as well for little recognition or reward (not to mention not enough sleep!) They may well be juggling caring for their own parents as well as their children; they may be on their own or working to make family relationships work as well as washing, ironing, cooking, doing the school run, cleaning the house, shopping and generally thinking about the practical necessities of life. I think we have to understand the vital importance of providing love and stability to children and must also learn to respect and express gratitude to those who care for us. No mother is perfect, and most mothers are all too aware of this, carrying guilt, anxiety and dread in their hearts on a daily basis. They may never show this to the outside world, but we do well to realise it’s not easy to be a mother!
The Bible speaks of mothers in Israel (see Judges 5:7), recognising that there is a symbolic aspect to motherhood which goes beyond biological birth. Spiritual mothers are women who may well fulfil many of the roles of a mother to us, even if they are not actually our mothers, even if they have never had children themselves. They pray for us, advise us, love us and nurture us, warn us, challenge us and urge us forward in faith. Again, we need to honour these women and recognise their vital role in the church.
It’s worth remembering that although God is traditionally spoken of as our Father, God is Spirit and therefore is also spoken of as loving us as tenderly as a mother (see Luke 13:34, Is 66:13). Even if our own mothers are no longer with us, God can be to us all that a mother represents.
So today, we pray you all have a blessed day and can rest secure in the love of God, which never changes, no matter our changing roles, our ups and downs, and above all, how we feel!
