Last Sunday was Mother’s Day. I seem to be constantly behind instead of ahead of these memorable occasions and celebrations. I suppose, better late than never. The idea of celebrating mothers was born in a small Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. It was 1876 and the nation was still mourning the Civil War dead. While teaching a Memorial Day lesson, Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis thought of the mothers who had lost sons in the war. She prayed that one day there could be a “Memorial Day” for mothers. The prayer made a deep impression on Anna, one of her eleven children. Young Anna had seen her mother’s efforts to hold the war-split community and church together. As she grew into adulthood, young Anna kept her mother’s dream in her heart. When her mother died in 1907, she requested that a church service be held to honor her. She placed large jars of white carnations in the church because they were her mother’s favorite flower. In the following year, local observances were held in Philadelphia. By 1909, observances were held in 45 states, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. On May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution of Congress designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day, “for displaying the American flag and for the public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of the country.” I am personally grateful for the spirituality that led Mrs. and Miss Jarvis to give us this day of national recognition for our mothers.“The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” -Genesis 3:20
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” -Exodus 20:12
“Hearken to your father that begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” -Proverbs 23:22
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?” -Isaiah 49:15
“As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you.” -Isaiah 66:13
“And his mother kept all these things in her heart.” -Luke 2:51
“And Hannah made a vow and said, ’O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but wilt give Thy maidservant a son, the I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” -Samuel 1:11
Mother's Love
Her love is like an island
In life’s ocean, vast and wide,
A peaceful quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.
‘Tis bound on the North by Hope
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And through the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.
-Anon
One of the old familiar hymns of the church is “Faith of our Fathers, Living Still,” but the faith and strength of our mothers did not become recognized until 1920, when Arthur B. Patten wrote the words to “Faith of Our Mothers, Living Yet,” sung to the same tune as the more familiar hymn.
The theme of the four verses emphasizes four qualities of motherhood’s faith that are truly characteristic ---living, lavish, guiding, and Christian, for such is the faith of all true Christian mothers. Let us thank God every day for mothers, the one who gave us birth, and others whose motherly love have nurtured us through the years, and find our own special way of expressing this heartfelt thanks not only on Mother’s Day but each day.
About thirty-five years ago, Erma Bombeck wrote a Mother’s Day article which I would like to share with you.
Last Sunday, there was printed on the back of the worship bulletin a Mother’s Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe in 1870. It was offered on the heels of the Civil War between the States of our Union. We are now engaged in the sixth year of a war in the Middle East. The pain and sorrow of l870 are no less today in 2008. I want to close with these words from the heart of Julia Ward Howe as a charge to each of us as Christians.When the good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of overtime when the angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”
The Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?”
“She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;
“Have 180 movable parts…all replaceable;
“Run on black coffee and leftovers;
“Have a lap that disappears when she stands up;
“A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;
“And six pairs of hands.”
The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands? No way.”
“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”
“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ‘What are you kids doing in there?’ when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones up here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ‘I understand
and I love you,’ without so much as uttering a word.”
“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “come to bed. Tomorrow…”
“I can’t,” said the Lord. “I’m so close to creating something close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick…can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger…and get a nine-year old to stand under a shower.”
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly and sighed, “It’s too soft.”
“But tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”
“Can it think?”
“Not only think, but it can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.
Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”
“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord, “It’s a tear.”
“What’s it for?”
“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride.”
“You’re a genius,” said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there.”
Amen.
