Hi everyone,
Happy Mother’s Day, everyone! Today (like every single day, if you think about it), we remember the love that we’ve been given by our mothers and those who provided for us maternal care. I remember hearing someone talking about their mother, and how she said something like, “moms are just awesome people”, and how that took me aback for some reason. I was thinking, are moms awesome just because of their nature of being a mom?
Now, as a dad, I can’t exactly speak for everyone in the world, but I can say that I know my own mom is pretty awesome and the mother of my children is pretty awesome (and I guess my mother-in-law isn’t too shabby either…). And I don’t know if these women were awesome before they had kids (well, I know my wife was, but not my mom or mother-in-law as I wasn’t around back then), but I can see how motherhood has instilled in them a love and care that seems unparalleled to anything else.
And I am blown away by this.
Because love is a dangerous game. The more you love, the more you put yourself out there to hurt, to feel loss, to be affected greatly by those whom you love. By loving, we give a bit (or a lot) of ourselves to the other, and we are vulnerable to how they might treat our hearts. But our mothers (at least most of them) love us anyway.
What a gift it is for all of us to have mothers, and for mothers to be given this deep seated love for their children, in that we can all look to their example for our own lives. Because I can admit that I personally can be hard to love at times, yet my mom (and wife and mother-in-law) have decided to continue to love me and care for me. Thank you mothers out there, for all that you do and all that you are and all that you give to your families and community. It is indeed a risk to love that deeply.
Let’s look at next week’s texts:
Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35
This whole love thing isn’t just for moms, but we are all called to love. Just as we are loved, we are called to love. Just as mothers love their children, we are called to love. I don’t think it’ll be easy, nor will it be without pain, but know that this call is divine.
What catches me is that Jesus says that people will know we are his disciples by the love we share. Just as we see some kid that only a mother can love, we are known by the gracious outpouring of love on our community, toward strangers, and maybe even perhaps hopefully our enemies. I know, it is easier said than done.
But if we remember and reflect on the love shown to us by God through those who truly love us, then perhaps we can move toward that same kind of selfless love to others. Perhaps we can see past the pain and hurt of loss and learn to really risk loving each other. Perhaps we can one day live in true peace and community with neighbour, stranger, and even enemy.
One can hope, I guess.
May your Mother’s Day be full of blessing and good memories and above all, love. Have a great week, everyone!