A Mother's Day Sermon

Eternity by Freydoon Rassouli

There are no more challenging sermons than the homilies at a funeral of someone whose loss is met with relief rather than grief, and the sermons for Mother’s or Father’s Day.

Of course, now and then one can come up with a brilliant and moving sermon who many will remember for a lifetime. 

Most often, however, one has not much choice but to reprise the well-trodden lines.  Lines which probably will gloss over the fact for some, Mother’s or Father’s day has nothing to celebrate.

For some, Mother’s Day is a time for celebration while for other it may be time of sorrow or, even worse, a day which they would rather skip all together.

Many will take pleasure in the presence of their children and grandchildren, reflecting on the fond memories of home-made biscuits and cakes, nurturing mothers, and a supportive family environment.  For many, the memories of “Home Sweet Home” will be re-lived and will be celebrated.

Many will see in the ministry of motherhood signs of the grace, kindness, and selfless dedication which Jesus embodied.  On a day like this, children will resonate with the idea that mother’s love frequently is represented by a pail, water, and a towel rather than with glittering cards or even a long-expected phone call.

For others, however, broken relationships or the memories of their struggle as single mothers trying to raise a family under the disapproving eyes of family, society and the church is nothing to celebrate.

Some mothers will be heartbroken for a child or grandchild felled by a disease and who they never got to enjoy in their adulthood.  While others, they may grieve that for some reason of another, they never got to experience the gift of motherhood.

So, as you can see, preparing a sermon for Mother’s Day is not an easy task.  So, what can be said to involve such a wide-ranging and diverse audience and experiences?

As I look at the lesson from Revelation I cannot but think that it is the perfect lesson for a day such as this.

As you well know, the Book of Revelation could be described as the whole Bible condensed in twenty-two chapters.  The book includes prophecy, teaching, and letters written to churches both including praise and reproach. 

Revelation in its pages includes a little bit of history, and like the Book of Psalms it includes hymns, poetry, and scenes of worship conjuring the vision of the good old days of glorious worship at the Temple of Jerusalem – but even more glorious and awesome if that were possible to imagine.

And, like today’s Psalm 23, Revelation offers words of encouragement for the days when the going will get tough as well as words of hopeful celebration knowing that in the end, God will have the final word.

The messages of hope and resilience found in Psalm 23 and Revelation can and will resonate deeply with us all, whatever our experiences may have been.  

For those who are celebrating, the lessons serve as a reminder to appreciate the lasting connections and relationships that enrich our lives.  In Revelation, the images of the end of times cannot but foster the hope of meeting again those mothers who passed away all too soon.

It is, as well, a message for the younger generations who would like to look family life as something which still looks far way, way in the future.  For them the lessons will offer a glimpse of adulthood, when both fair winds and stormy seas will be their share, and at the same time, the lessons will assure them that even in the darkest valley, God will be with them.

For those who today may be grieving, the lessons offer solace in the promise that God sees their pain and walks with them through it.  Even more so, when God has a firm commitment to never leave anyone in the lurch but to come and wipe away the tears of every eye.  Yes, even yours!

And for those who feel excluded or burdened, the lessons assure them of their place in God's unending story of love and redemption.  Sometimes society – and even the church – places unbearable burdens on many who already have been battered by life.  But not so with God.  God’s commitment is to lift burdens and to break yokes, to feed the hungry and to refresh those who suffer.

Finally, Revelation “reveals” that no one will be excluded because he or she does not belong to the “right crowd”, was born on “the wrong side of the tracks”, or even if they never came to terms to find who they truly were and understanding their place in the world. 

At the end of times, all and everyone will find room in the loving embrace of our God where – as the gospel affirms in the words of Jesus, “No one can snatch them.”  Why?  Because, thanks be to God, “Salvation belongs to God” and not to any religious group, denomination, or the most learned and refined theological understanding.

So, Revelation’s presentation of a restored creation and the ultimate triumph of love over despair should be a soothing balm for those who are going through the difficult memories which Mother’s Day may bring.  

For them as well as for us, the vision of the Lamb at the center of the throne, shepherding His people and wiping away every single tear, should be understood not just a future promise but a present reality for those who chose to believe.

Hence, whether today has been marked by laughter or tears, we all should be reminded that in God’s story, there are no blank pages, every chapter has meaning, and every person matters.  And that our story, complete with its joys and tears, doubts and convictions will never end until God has brought it to its fulfilment in love.

Today should be regarded as an invitation to live as a community of faith and hope and as a congregation which will mirror God's limitless love where we all can embrace each other’s stories with compassion, grace, and kindness. 

May this reflection inspire us to carry forward the light of faith, to nurture the bonds that unite us, and to extend a hand of understanding to those who today journey through the valleys of shadows.  And so, once again, let us commit ourselves to walking side by side, as pilgrims of hope, faith, and heavenly joy.  Amen.

Fr. Gustavo