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Remembering our Mothers

Father Deacon Howard Burton BA, MSW, MSc, M.Div., Dr.PH.
It is truly right to bless you, O God-bearing One! You gave birth to God the Word. O true Mother of God, we magnify you

St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Parish is located in downtown Detroit. In 1970 when I entered the Church, on the left hand side of the door was written: John 3:16 “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. On the right hand side was a sheet of paper with this question printed on it: “When last did you speak to your mother?” The inspiration that lay behind these two statements being placed side by side becomes evident when you exit the Church following Mass.
St. Aloysius is located in a rundown inner city neighborhood wedged in the middle of a row of office buildings gutted by fire as a result of the race riots in 1968. It’s blighted by drug-dealing, crime, the elderly and the poor seeking food and shelter. During the day the parish provided refuge for the borderline people who had little or no contact with family. The pastor prayed that the impoverished, the addicted, the mentally ill and those with limited mental ability who read the words of John 3:16 might have the opportunity to find their way to salvation. He believed this opportunity would be strengthened if they gave a moment’s thought to the faith of their mother.
The lives of many people in the Bible are largely shaped and fashioned by the loving, hands of mothers. In Isaiah (51), the prophet takes his people back to remembrance of their ancestors. “Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father. And to Sarah who bore you.”
Jewish history is largely a story of memorable women, wives and mothers. Take for example the story of Sarah, the mother of Isaac. She prayed her whole life for a child. When she was an old woman the Lord took note of Sarah as He had promised and she conceived and bore a son named Isaac who become heir to the divine blessing given to his father Abraham (Gen:15-19). “I will make of you a great nation. “ An ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew Scriptures, attached to the biblical text praises Sarah as ranking “higher than her husband in prophecy”. On that account she was sometimes called Isaiah “the seer”.
Rebecca, the wife of Isaac was childless for 24 years but with the grace of God she gave birth to twins Esau and Jacob. Rebecca favored Jacob and conspired with him to trick his father into giving him the blessing and heritage that should have gone to the 1st born son, Esau.
Jacob had 12 sons who were the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel. Rachel his wife was also childless for many years but at last gave birth to Joseph who takes center stage in the government of Egypt and became the most important counselor to Pharaoh.
Hannah’s son Samuel became the great prophet and Judge overall Israel. He secretly anointed David as the 2nd King of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah. Ruth became the great-grandmother of David from whose family, Christ our Savior descended.
The story is the same in the New Testament. Luke recalls that Mary had strong faith in the angel’s proclamation that she was blest among all women. With faith she consented to become the Mother of God. And by doing so Mary set in motion the highest point of biblical revelation, “the Word was made flesh” (Luke 1:31-38).
God lives among us in all his humanity and divinity because of consenting mothers. The Gospels record that women were among Jesus’ earliest followers. Jewish women disciples, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, had accompanied Jesus during His ministry and supported him out of their private means (Luke 8:1-3). It was to a woman named Anna that God revealed that the unborn Jesus was the Messiah. It was to a Samaritan woman, that Jesus revealed his messianic identity. It was to a woman, that the Lord called the attention of the apostles and said, “This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44). It was for a woman that our Lord stopped the funeral procession and gave back to her, her only son. It was for a woman that Christ raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. There were women disciples at the foot of the cross. It was for a woman that Jesus at the time of his death said to the apostle John: “John, look at Mary, she is your mother; from now on take care of her; and mother this is your son.” (Mark 19:26-27). On Easter Sunday it was women who were the first witnesses to the resurrection.
From the beginning of the Early Christianity women were important members of the Church and have largely shaped our Christian faith. This is especially true of those wealthy women and widows who were attracted to Paul’s Christian movement. In fact, the evangelization  of the ancient world began in Philippi where at women’s prayer meeting Lydia, a wealthy dealer in purple cloth, became the first convert in Europe (Acts 16:11-15). It was in her home that Paul and his companions lived as they preached the gospel of the risen Christ.

Who cannot be moved by the words of Paul to Timothy, a recent convert to Christianity? In his 2nd letter to Timothy he writes “my beloved child. I remember you constantly in my prayers. As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.” (2nd Timothy 1:5)
I don’t know the last time you had contact with your mother? I do know that there is special day set aside for remembering them. But they desire much more. We should pause and thank God every day for the “motherly” who nourished us, and those who have gone before us, into glory before the awesome judgement seat of Christ. We should in their defense profess that as loving mothers, they were here on earth to enrich all they could to life. Not to take all they could from life. For the mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law and the “motherly” that live among us, let us celebrate their life with a heartfelt song of longevity. MANY MORE HAPPY YEARS!