Mothers
We celebrated the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, and it got me thinking about mothers and motherhood. We think of Mary as the mother of the Church, which she is. Mary was a very human mother too. She had challenges and trials as the mother of Jesus. She lived through the joys and very deep heartache of being a mother, but also the ordinary, everyday obligations and chores of being a mother of modest means in Judea under Roman rule in the 1st century.
The definition of ‘mother’ may at first glance seem straightforward, but it isn’t. There is a biological mother, that is, the woman who bore you. This may be the first thing you think of. For many people, however, this is not the case. A mother may be in fact a grandparent, or an aunty, or a sister, or a foster parent, or an adoptive mother, and I’m sure you can think of many people who fall outside the category of biological mother. Perhaps the best identifier is ‘mother figure’. All or most of us have had a mother figure – or figures – in our lives.
For many people, their mother is the one who comforted you when you were suffering emotional or physical pain, or both. She may bring to mind succulent roast chicken and delicious shortbread biscuits. She may be that wonderful person who stood up for you, who defended you, championed your cause. She may the one who stood on the sidelines during a rugby, football or netball game on a Saturday, cheering you on, and perhaps bringing oranges for halftime.
I’m writing in the past tense because you, like me, may no longer have your mother with you except in your heart. For those of you who still have your mothers, don’t take them for granted. They won’t be here forever. Mothers are special.
It’s hard to think of a mother who is more special than Mary, the mother of Jesus. Yet in so many ways her life was ordinary. Bear this in mind: the ordinary is the extraordinary. All the things your mother did when you were growing up, all the things she is doing for you now, seem just natural and normal. But these acts of service are indeed extraordinary.
For those of you with mothers who haven’t been there for you, who haven’t created for you the fond memories you would like, I acknowledge this. My mother was fantastic. But let’s be real: not all mothers are. Thus, the word ‘mother’ can mean different things to different people. But one thing seems nearly undeniable: mothers have a profound impact on our lives and their importance can never be underestimated.
God Bless
Steve