By Rev. Dr. Ed Hird
Mother Mary is the world’s most famous mother. Her son Jesus honoured her while being
crucified by passing on the care of his mother to the Apostle John. In one of the seven last words from the
cross, Jesus said: “Dear woman, behold your son, and to John: “Here is your
mother.” What an amazing honour and
privilege that Jesus was giving John: to look after his mother. How would you like to have been asked to look
after the blessed Mother Mary?
Jesus, who loved the Bible, rooted his life in the Ten
Commandments. At the heart of the Ten
Commandments is the call to honour our mothers. To honour is to love, to value and to
cherish. Mother’s Day reminds us that we
need to honour our mothers 365 days a year, not just for 24 hours in May. The Good Book tells us that if we honour our
mothers, everyone wins. Honouring our
mothers even benefits ourselves by giving us a longer and better life.
Because Mother Mary was a widow, Jesus was especially
concerned about protecting and providing for his mother. The Good book says that taking care of widows
is at the heart of genuine religion. If
we do not honour the widows in our family and community, our religion is nothing
but an empty pretense. It is too easy
for widows to be forgotten and discarded particularly when their health is
failing and they become shut-ins.
Perhaps Jesus at this moment is reminding you of a widow you know whom
you need to give a call. Mother’s Day is
a great time to let widowed mothers know that they are important parts of our
community.
When Mary became a mother, she faced rejection and
misunderstanding, even from her own fiancé Joseph. God had to speak to Joseph and tell him that
everything was okay. It is never easy
being a mother, especially in our current high-pressure culture. Children are too easily seen as an
inconvenience and a financial burden.
Mother Mary chose to sacrificially welcome her baby son Jesus into the
world with her arms of love. Motherhood
is a life of sacrificial love. Mothers
love their children with a depth and passion, similar to how much Jesus loves
each of us. Right before his
crucifixion, Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives crying “How often I wished to take
you into my arms like a mother hen would her chicks”. The well-known song by Mark Lowry includes
the line: “Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?”
This Mother’s Day, we can honour the Mother
Mary for her courage in giving birth to the saviour of the world. We can also honour our own mothers who showed
the courage to give birth to and raise us to adulthood. Thank you, Mom. We love you dearly. Where would we be without you?
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, Rector
-an article for the May 2015 Deep Cove Crier
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