What a wonderful opportunity was given to me when I was offered the chance to prepare thoughts for this Sixth Sunday of Easter, Mother’s Day 2021. A day when the Church gives us three splendid readings filled with so many thoughts that must touch so many of us.
As a daughter, granddaughter, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, and godmother, I reflect on how well I may have served in those roles. Fortunately, I was blessed with two delightful children at every stage of their lives, a daughter-in-law who has brought so much more love and depth to our family, and a granddaughter who is just all that. So, as St. John says (I John 4:7) “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.” Well, like most of you, I pause today and feel truly blessed.
And yet here we are in the midst of a world filled with anger, hate, tremendous discord. And we all know that within families and friendships there can be tumult and absence of harmony – the very places we should find peace is sometimes the source of discontent. Like you, I struggle with this. How can I make a difference? What can I possibly do to impact all of this animosity? The world seems so on edge. A family difference, the disagreement among family or co-workers while certainly less hostile than the large acts of civil disobedience, terrorism, and war we see on the news are still something that cause me to wonder how I can possibly impact in a way leading toward resolution.
Yet again, in the calm of Mass, in the quiet of today’s readings, we are clearly told in today’s Gospel reading from John that there is an antidote to hatred, discord, animosity, discontent. That there is something that each of us, especially perhaps women can do – but all of us who have a knack for nurturing, caring, and loving can do. John quotes Christ’s teaching to his disciples (John 15:17), “This I command you: love one another”. This is the antidote! Love! It comes to us as Christ’s missionary disciples in his command – simply love one another! It is brutally simply, and at times, perhaps the most important times in my experience, brutally difficult. Be kind, be gracious to those whose lives yours touch. “Mother” one another. Let each of us, give care and love to our corner of the world.
I pray that we will all be blessed with peace and great patience on this Mother’s Day and throughout the year as we mother all of those in our lives as we work to fulfill one of the great commands of our Lord and Savior.
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