What does it mean to be a mother? This is a popular theme in TV and drama. Think of storylines in the soaps (e.g. Eastenders at the time of writing this), popular dramas such as Happy Valley or Maternal and comedies like Motherhood. Our relationship with our Mum is our first relationship. Of course, Dads are important but you don’t start growing inside your Dad’s body neither are you sustained from his milk.
From a psychologist’s viewpoint, one’s relationship with your mother colours every subsequent relationship in life as it determines your ability to trust another person.
We all owe our mothers and mother-substitutes a great deal in later life too – we rely on their support, love, care, help even as adults. So, it’s great to be able to recognise this on Mothering Sunday. A mid Lent celebration originally intended as a celebration of one’s mother Church.
Sometimes though we may feel abandoned or side-lined by our mothers. We may feel jealous of other siblings or partners and the attention they get. We may be hurt by comparisons made justly or unjustly.
In Isaiah 49 v 14, Israel complained to God that He had abandoned them. But the Lord answers,” Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.”
Any new mother returning to work will find that even with the most all absorbing occupation, her body won’t let her forget she has borne a child – especially if she is feeding that child herself!! Any woman who has had a miscarriage or abortion will have that unborn baby’s birth date etched in their subconscious and will feel a swirl of depression when that day comes round.
God says even if it were possible for a human mother to forget her child, He will never ever forget us or abandon us.
We all know of stories where, even animal, mothers have protected their offspring with their lives. As we travel through Lent, we are reminded that God sacrificed His Son, for us so that our sins could be forgiven and we could enter His Kingdom. Happy Mother’s Day!