Happy Mother's Day!

Like you, my thoughts and prayers this day are drawn to my own mother who first taught me to pray and who first loved me into life.  My mom was the first person I trusted in life, and she taught me that trusting indeed is a component of all significant relationships. My mother went home to God in September of 1979, and yet, her spirit and her love are still with me to this day. We remember in prayer today all of our mothers.  Their gift to us makes us who we are.  May we always have grateful hearts for the ways we have been loved into life by our parents.

I also am mindful and pray for all the mothers of our parish community.  Thank you for the gift of love you share with your family, and thank you for the gift of love you share with our parish family.  Thank you for reminding us again and again that loving and being loved is the most significant component of our discipleship of the Lord Jesus.  There is nothing on earth as valuable as a mother’s love for her child.  This gives us the capacity to love and be loved for the rest of our lives.

Today’s Gospel comes from the priestly prayer of Jesus on the night before he died.  Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father:  “I have made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”  This prayer of Jesus can also be the beautiful prayer of the mothers of our faith community.  Moms make the name of Jesus known to your children.  This is the sacred spiritual dimension of how you parent your children.

Moreover, in the ways you have been loved by the merciful love of Jesus throughout your life, you are now missioned to share the love you have received with your children.  You are to give as a gift from the giftedness you have received from our loving God.

I also am mindful of the love and inspiration we receive from Mary, the mother of Jesus and the spiritual mother of us all. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.”  May we pray the rosary on mother’s day seeking the intercession of our mother Mary.