Dear Friends.
The
fourth Sunday of Lent is always Mothering Sunday or Refreshment Sunday. A day
of respite from the disciplines of Lent. It is a day for celebrating all
Mothers and giving thanks for their love. Mothering Sunday has been
around for a very long time, hundreds of years ago it was a day for honouring
the Mother Church and people went to a special service at The Mother Church,
which for our diocese is St Asaph Cathedral, or they returned to the Church
where they had been baptised. The idea of giving flowers on
Mothering Sunday comes from the tradition of bringing flowers to decorate the
Mother Church. Those returning to their church on this day would gather the
flowers on the way. The flowers would be displayed in the church, blessed and
then distributed amongst the congregation. In later times Mothering
Sunday became a day for young people who were away from home working as
servants to have a day off and go home and visit their mother, often taking a
gift of simnel cake.
The
story of the baby hidden in the bulrushes by his mother, protected by his
sister and then discovered by a real Princess is a story much loved by us
all. It appears to be a story with a happy ending and yet it has far
reaching consequences that form part of God’s plan. It is a story of
defying those who tried to destroy God’s people. We have to remember the
soldiers were looking for all new-born baby boys in order to kill
them, how terrifying that must have been for every new Mother. .
As they searched day after day every tiny sound that Moses made would have
caused his mother’s heart to miss a beat as she sought to keep him hidden, yet
she risked everything in order to save her son. It is a story of a
brave mother’s love. There was such love within her that it caused her to
take great risks in order that her son may live. We know that Moses went
on to become one the Patriarchs of the Jewish faith but his mother knew nothing
of God’s plan, she simply did what she did out of love.
To
love and nurture our children is a great gift. Anyone who has welcomed a
tiny baby into the family, a child, grandchild, niece or nephew will know the
joy that they bring. All babies are a beautiful witness to God’s creating
love, but in the midst of it all there is still the hard work, the worry, the
sacrifices, yet so willingly given for love of a child. There is a quote
that says ‘the joy of Motherhood is when all the children are finally asleep in
bed.’
Whether
you are a Mother, Grandmother, Godmother or someone who shares in the care of
children, Happy Mother's Day.
A
prayer for Mothering Sunday
Loving
God, your son Jesus was born into the earthly family of Mary and Joseph: bless
all parents and all who care for children. Help us to show your love in
our homes that they may be places of love, security and truth. Amen
With
Every Blessing….Val