I don’t take the gift of my children lightly. I know there are many others who today mourn the loss of children, whether before they arrived or sadly since birth. There are others who desperately want the gift I have and sadly are unable to receive it. My youngest sister Lorraine died of SIDS and even now I remember the blue lights and the sadness, for I was 6 years old at the time. Please know, therefore, that you are held in prayer also.
Many of us take on parenting roles all the time - whether we are grandparents looking after the young ones, staff in the school, family friends or sports coaches or music teachers, volunteers in any type of children’s work, or supporting a family we have taken under our wing. We hope for the best, encouraging the children in our care to grow and mature, to blossom and find their space in the world. We ponder their careers based on their temperaments; how many of us know budding lawyers, politicians or carers in our family circles?
Today is the day in the Church where we would have made reference to the Annunciation which takes place on 25th March. We would have sung Mary’s song today - Tell out my soul. Here was a woman on the cusp of marriage, who would have been contemplating married life with Joseph, wondering when children would be part of the family (it was a sign of blessing to have children), but also pondering when Israel would be released from Roman rule. And then:
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke1)
In these days, when we look around us, we can feel very afraid. We are anxious, understandably so, because the future looks bleak. It did for Mary too, stuck as she was in a world where the Romans ruled. She had no control, except for that which she could in her daily life (hence why she is usually portrayed in nativities cleaning the house!). But even in that world, God turned up. And he gave his Son that we might all have life, indeed eternal life. Jesus grew up and faced our trials and temptations, he loved, he grieved, he laughed, he grew weary.
I don’t know about you, but over these past days in particular, I have felt lost, wishing I could be a child again, and leave my mum to figure it all out. Instead I wish my mum a happy mother’s day over the phone and hug my children, praying that God will help bring an end to this disaster. When Jesus was at his lowest he went to his Father in prayer, something that we will remember again on Good Friday. When we are at our lowest, and that may still come, we can come to God our Mother, our Father, our Parent, and rest secure in him. Just as child nestles into your neck, or takes your hand, or asks for your help, so we too can turn to God, and nestle into his love, take his hand and ask for his help. And he will respond.
So this Mothering Sunday, in whatever role you think about mothers, remember you are also a child of God, and she longs to gather you in as a mother gathers in her chicks. Rest in his love, trust in his goodness, and remember he is faithful even when we are faithless.
God bless you!
Love Sarah
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