Mothering
[N]ow I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. John 17:13
Grace and peace to you. Good morning on this Mother’s Day weekend. Please join me by taking a moment to thank God for our earthly opportunities for mothering and being mothered.
The words in John 17:13 (above) were prayed by Jesus on his final night with his disciples. Jesus is praying to his heavenly Father in face of his upcoming death and the unavoidable grief of his disciples. He is asking God that his disciples receive the gift of joy, not passing happiness, but a deep and enduring joy that would ground them whatever life would bring. And we know that the disciples would face hardship for the sake of their faith in Jesus and love for others, some even martyrdom.
This verse is part of the gospel lesson you will hear tomorrow in church. The passage was not chosen because tomorrow is Mother’s Day. It was chosen because tomorrow is the last Sunday in Easter. Two days ago the church celebrated Ascension Day, the day Jesus returned to the right hand of God. Jesus is saying good-bye.
Still, we can make a connection to Mother’s Day. Jesus’ words reflect the impulse of the mothering parenthood of God. A basic desire of a parent is that their children know a life marked by joy – a life of meaning, purpose and fulfillment. This desire is rooted in God’s desire. For this we can give great thanks.
I invite you, on this weekend, to ask God to open your heart to the possibility of joy, no matter your circumstances. Some will gather with your mothers to celebrate shared love and care. Enjoy the gift of this life-giving relationship. For some of you, however, Mother’s Day is challenging. Perhaps you have lost your mother. Maybe you have an unfulfilled desire to be a mother. For some of you, your relationship with your mother is broken.
Know that whatever the circumstance you are in my prayers. God is with you, speaking love into the world so that you may know joy and your joy may be complete.
