This 7th Sunday of Easter also coincides with Mother’s Day, an opportunity to thank and honor those women who have supported us throughout our life journey. It is from our mothers that many of us first learned how to love, show compassion and mercy, and grow in faith. A mother’s duty is always to nurture and care for her children so that they too can offer the gift of loving service to others.
St. John Paul II, in his encyclical on the Dignity of Women (Mulieris Dignitatem), wrote about the great gift that women offer to the Church. He writes: “The Church gives thanks for each and every woman: for mothers, for sisters, for wives; for women consecrated to God in virginity; for women dedicated to the many human beings who await the gratuitous love of another person; for women who watch over the human persons in the family, which is the fundamental sign of the human community; for women who work professionally, and who at times are burdened by a great social responsibility; for "perfect" women and for "weak" women - for all women as they have come forth from the heart of God in all the beauty and richness of their femininity; as they have been embraced by his eternal love…”(31).
St. John Paul reminded us that our mothers and all women who play a motherly role show us a more complete picture of God. They allow us to see the heart of God, and to experience love in an unconditional and total way. The Church too is our Mother who seeks to sustain us on our journey to the Kingdom, and she offers us comfort in the sacraments, the scriptures, the saints, and especially in our Blessed Mother who draws us closer to her son, Jesus.
Today let us pray for all our mothers living and deceased, and those who have shown us a mother’s love. We literally could not be here without the gift of life our moms graced us with, and without their loving care for us. God Bless all our moms and women of faith!
Pentecost – Next week the Church concludes the Easter season with the great celebration of Pentecost. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church! It is when Christ poured out his Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and disciples to go forth and preach the Gospel. Please continue to pray to the Holy Spirit, and if you can wear red to Mass next Sunday in honor of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us so that we can be a Church united in faith, love, and a desire to boldly live as disciples. Come, Holy Spirit!