Mothering Sunday – the day put aside for visiting one’s “mother” church (the main church or cathedral in the area and often the one in which they had been baptised), to reaffirm their faith and family ties symbolised in the return to the source of their spiritual upbringing. This allowed servants and apprentices a rare day off to visit their families and bring gifts. 

This festival is tied to the church calendar and occurs three weeks before Easter, on the fourth Sunday of Lent – also known as Laetare Sunday (Rejoice Sunday). Laetare Sunday is the Sunday on which we are offered a break from the Lenten Fast and as such it was a perfect day for those getting that rare chance to visit their families.

Over time, the honouring of the Virgin Mary and the mother church grew into a broader celebration of all mothers and those fulfilling the role of a mother figure.

It is not a coincidence, therefore, that our readings today involve mothers. In Exodus we are reminded of Moses’s Israelite mother and the Egyptian princess who adopted and mothered him. Our Psalm refers to God looking after His children, Colossians talks about how to live with one another. Luke reminds us of Jesus as a baby being presented at the Temple and the words of Simeon about Jesus’s death for our salvation. And John takes us to that point where the sword did indeed, metaphorically, pierce Mary’s soul. As Jesus is dying on the cross He sees His mother and the disciple John and He demonstrates His love and care for His mother by putting His mother into John’s care, ensuring she would be looked after by putting John in the position of being as a son to Mary and granting her permission to be as a mother to John.

Today is not, however, a celebration for everyone. For some it is incredibly difficult for various reasons. Some long for a child and are unable to become mothers. Some have lost children through death or circumstances. Some have lost their mother through death or Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease or similar conditions. Some are at conflict with their mother or never knew one at all.

Our Gospel reading from Luke acknowledges this as Simeon warns Mary of the pain and suffering she will experience. As Mary watched her son dying on the cross she would have remembered Simeon’s words and finally understand their meaning. I’m sure that Mary would have given anything to swap places with Jesus and die in His place. It’s something many parents say – that they would die in place of their child and is part of the protective instinct built into the love between parent and child.

Our reading from John’s Gospel also acknowledges the part suffering plays as it links the pain of motherhood with the pain of the crucifixion.

As parents, we experience anguish over our children many times throughout our lives. As children, there comes a time when we anguish over our earthly parents. For those who have lost their own children or parents, Mary can be an important figure of compassion and solidarity as one who identifies with deep pain.

As Mary thinks about Jesus, He is thinking about His mother and knows how much she is suffering. Also, Mary was a widow and Jesus was concerned that no one would care for her. Even as He was dying Jesus was concerned for those whom He loved. And so He gives His mother to John and John to His mother.

Why was Jesus so concerned for His mother? After all, He had both brothers and sisters who were still alive. 

Both Jesus’s mother Mary and His disciple John believed in Him and His mission. They believed He was indeed the Son of God and Saviour of the world. This is in direct contrast to Jesus’s brothers. In John 7:5 we are told “Not even His brothers believed in Him.”

Jesus created a new family in the shadow of the cross. At the foot of the cross, as Jesus’s blood is shed, Mary and John formed the church in their relationship with each other, offering each other comfort, strength, encouragement and hospitality. 

We are all blood relatives – not through our own blood but through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. 

Mothering Sunday is a time we can give thanks for those who cared for us but it is also a time to give thanks for mother church, formed through the blood of Christ at the foot of the cross; where we find comfort and support, encouragement, hospitality and love. It is also a time we can give thanks for our church family – our relatives through Jesus’s blood.

But Mothering Sunday also helps to widen our view. In addition to reminding us of the mother church, it reminds us of the parenthood of God, who is both mother and father combined when it comes to His parenting of us, His children.

God’s love for us is so huge, strong and faithful. It transcends the closest bond between parent and child.

Even when we go through times of suffering, anxiety or confusion. Even when we feel like the world is closing in on us. Even when those who care for us don’t understand or help how we need them to. Even when we feel alone and forgotten; God is with us and will never forsake us.

We can give to Him all our fears, our grief, our disappointments, our sufferings and He will bear these burdens with us. We are loved with an eternal love, just as we are. We are God’s children and He is mother and father to us in a way that brings healing, peace and fullness of life.

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you for children and those in the role of mother. Be with those who are grieving because they have no mother; be close to those who are struggling because they have no children; be near to those who are sad because they are far apart from those they love. Let your love be present in every home, and help your church to have eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of all who come. 

Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you; you are gentle with us as a mother with her children. Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; through your gentleness we find comfort in fear. Your warmth gives life to the dead, your touch makes sinners righteous. Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us; in your love and tenderness remake us. In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness, for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us. Amen