Mother's Day is this week. I'm a single woman with no children and my mother died eight years ago. So when all the mothers in our congregation get a rose for Mother's Day, how am I supposed to feel?

On Good Friday this year our minister mentioned Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:48:

“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

I thought of Mary standing near the cross and weeping. I imagined myself being Mary and suddenly realized that I am old enough to have a 33-year-old son. I am 67 and have never had a child, but my eyes filled with tears.

Then I remembered the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-40. The disciples say:

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you?”

And Jesus answered:

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Every person is made in God’s image, and Jesus can be loved in all of them. Someone once said to me of an older sister who had been nursing her in the hospital, “She is so motherly.” I had never thought of her as “motherly” before, because she was single. But when I observed her, it was true.

Yes, I thought, we can all be brothers and sisters and mothers to Jesus when we love him “in the least of these”—in those around us. Four of my nieces live in the same community as I do. They and their children need a little extra mothering sometimes—their mother lives in England. I have the opportunity to mother anyone in our community or in the neighbourhood, anyone in the local nursing home or the local jail. The possibilities are endless.

And my heart filled with joy.

This year when all the mothers in our congregation are given a rose—and I get one too (because I am so old)—I’m going to accept it with joy.

All glory be to God.

 

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Responses

Thank you Miriam for a thought-provoking article.  Recently in our congregation, we celebrated a wedding, in fact it took place on Easter Sunday.  At one point during the service, all the young children came to the front, sang a song, and then came forward with a large bouquet of roses. Ah, I thought to myself, a beautiful gesture to this young couple.   But no, they proceeded to move through our midst, and the children handed a single rose to each of the widowers and widows among us. Yes, they also presented a rose to the young couple,  but there were many moist eyes as the children acknowledged the love of two that transcends time and space, and reaches in to eternity.
It was a powerful reminder to me to think more of those, single or married, who carry silent burdens that also need acknowledging at life's most special moments.

Peter
Uniontown, PA

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Dear Miriam,

Thank you for your writing.
The article revealed treasure things.
How valuable it is! Searching & accepting one of the least around us!
So God's image shall be carved in us.

In His Blessing!

Heerak Jeong
Ilsan, South Korea

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MOTHER OF MY LIFE GIVE ME A DAY
TO SHARE HER LOVE WITH ME
SHE WAKE FOR ME EVERY DAY AND EVRY NIGHT
BUT I DO NOT HAVE A WORDS TO SAY THANKU TO MY MOTHER
GOD MAKE MOTHER BECAUSE HE WANT STATUE WHICH FULL OF LOVE

PUNYASHA BHATNAGAR
RAE BARELI, INDIA