But Mother’s Day does have a less commercial side to it. During the sixteenth century, people returned to their mother church for a service to be held on Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday in Lent. Its widescale revival was through the influence of American and Canadian soldiers serving abroad during World War II; the traditions of Mothering Sunday, still practiced by the Church of England and Church of Ireland (Anglican) were merged with the newly-imported traditions and celebrated in the wider Catholic and secular society. British based merchants saw the commercial opportunity in the holiday and relentlessly promoted it in the UK; by the 1950s it was celebrated across all the United Kingdom. So, in the long run, I think Mother’s Day is a good thing especially in and for the Church. It reminds us of the essence of God and the attributes we assign to “Him.”
In many places, the Blessed Mother is venerated on this Sunday which seems especially appropriate. To me, St. Mary has always been the feminine side of God anyway. I never bought into those strange notions our Roman Brethren and Sistren have like Mary’s perpetual virginity and such. St. Ambrose was so taken with the idea that he claimed Jesus had been born from Mary’s ear in order to preserve her…um…uh….well, you get the picture. What caught my imagination about the Blessed Mother is that she was just that: a mother – and a healthy mother at that. Healthy mothers love their children no matter what. They may not understand their kids or even like what they do, but healthy mothers never stop loving their children. Healthy mothers will gladly give their own lives to save the life of their children. Take the animal kingdom as an example: don’t get between a Mama Grizzly and her cub. It won’t be pretty.
And Mary was no different. There were times when her Son was an enigma. At times he even annoyed her – take the wedding at Cana for example. (In the Greek, Jesus’ response to her is much more nasty than it’s translated into English.) When she and the kids went to fetch him because people thought he was a loonie, he denied her saying that those who do the will of his Father were really his mother and brothers and sisters. But she kept loving him. Why? Because she was a mom and that’s what moms do.
I have this notion that Mary was also the author of the Good News. As an unwed mother, she’d’ve never been totally accepted in Nazareth social circles. She was always an outsider even though Joseph had married her. She know what it was to be on the outside looking in. And one day, when Jesus is about twelve, he comes home with a bloody nose. He says to his mother, “Mom! Do you know what they’re saying about me? Do you know what they’re sying about YOU? Well, I showed’m.” And his Blessed Mother replies, “We don’t behave that way. Let them say what they want. Violence is never an option. AND, they’re God’s beloved children too whether we like it or not. So, no more bloody noses.” Of course, at twelve, it took a few more years for it to finally sink in. And when it did, Jesus went out and preached it from the roof tops.
And that’s why I see Our Lady as the feminine side of God. God has that maternal instinct, if one can say the Divine has instincts, which loves us no matter what. When we’re being saintly, or when we’re being immoral, illegal and fattening, God continues to love us with no strings attached. It’s just the way it is. We might deny God, but God will never deny us. And when life has reached its end, God will welcome us home like mom does when we’ve been away for a long time – no matter what, no matter what we’ve done, no matter who we’ve been.
Maybe I have this concept because I’m fortunate enough to have a great Mom. At almost 92, she’s spry, bright and sharp as a tack. I go to visit her just for fun and we have a grand time. (OK, so I have to hear the stories more than once. Is that such a big deal???) And my Mom loved and loves me like God does: with no strings attached. And I guess that’s who taught me about God.
So, Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there. Happy Mother’s Day to those who are still with us. Happy Mother’s Day to those who rejoice with but upon another shore and in a greater light. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! You deserve it. You put up with ME all these years. And Happy Mother’s Day, Mother of us All. Your love influenced one heck of a Son.
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