Mother's Day

"When YOU become a Mother....."

Whenever my brother or I got particularly rambunctious, Mom would put us in our place with the phrase at the top of the page.

Despite having a good dad, mom often served as both mother and father.  This childhood plus having spent the better part of 2 decades raising children of my own allows me to claim the title Mom predicted.

What about God?

Some religious thinkers try to make a case for God being both mother and father.   Let me be clear:  That is not the intention of my writing.  If it were, the quote at the top would have read; "When God becomes a mother."  Instead, I am interested in how the metaphor of motherhood can be used to describe God’s love and protection. 

Today we will be singing Christopher Walker’s beautiful composition:  “Like a Child Rests.” (#455)

Below are the simple, yet profound footnotes on psalm 131 (on which the text of the song is based) from the U.S. Council of Bishops:

A song of trust, in which the psalmist gives up self-sufficiency (Ps 131:1), like a babe enjoying the comfort of its mother’s lap (Ps 131:2), thus providing a model for Israel’s faith (Ps 131:3).

With love and affection for all of our mothers living and deceased and those who have mothered us.

Bruce

PS

Welcome to our first communicants who are singing with our children’s choir for the first time at the 10:30 liturgy.