Mothering Sunday - Revd Christine Fox

‘Mother’s day or mothering Sunday?’  ​Mothering Sunday originally nothing to do with mothers – but a day off for household servants to go back to their mother church – their home church (and probably visit mum too)

StF 117 sing praise to God who reigns above

Prayer of praise 
Gracious God on this special day of thanksgiving we catch a glimpse through a mother’s love for a child of your love for us, the care dedication and devotion you show to all your children which makes you as much our mother as well as our father – Loving God we praise you!
You offer us what any loving parent would offer a child only more so – instruction, food and fresh air, joy and discipline. You comfort us in hard times and encourage us in times of challenge; you watch over us ready to give yourself entirely to save us from ourselves
Gracious God, mother and father of us all we worship and adore you. Amen

Song Thank you Lord for …this fine day

​Readings: Luke 2: 33-35
and Luke 2: 41-52

Message - Revd Christine Fox
There is maybe a tendency to glamorise motherhood – and certainly in the case of Mary the mother of Jesus  - she has been put on a pedestal and made out to be perfect by some parts of the Christian church. But Jesus’ parents were not perfect – they made at least one mistake that we know of – that day when they forgot him and left him behind when they set off home after the festival!  But they took steps to put it right – going back and looking for him – and it took them three days! And when they found him, all they got was what we’d call back-chat – from a twelve year old ‘going on 22’. I don’t intend to disrespect Jesus, but rather to imagine how that incident must have felt like for his mother and father.

I wonder, when you listen to that story which character you identify with. Were you that almost-teenager, absorbed in your own life and all the new experiences of the city, and surprised at your parents lack of understanding!? 

Or did you identify with Mary or Joseph -  maybe bringing back a time when you made a mistake that threatened to be disastrous – or reminding you of the effort of trying to rectify that error, or even remembering the back-chat of a teenager whose words showed up the huge gap in understanding between the generations!?

I will never forget two occasions of losing a child - one in a shop and another time leaving her behind at home when the rest of us went out – these things are such a shock at the time that we don’t forget them easily!

Maybe somewhat surprisingly. despite how difficult that time was for her and Joseph we hear that Mary treasured the memory of these things. It must have been her memories recounted to the gospel writer.   She held the memories in her heart and turned them over in her mind, and they became treasure. So the difficult times for parents and children may be the source of a new understanding of life, when they have been remembered and pondered on as time goes by.

On Mothering Sunday we celebrate both mothers and all who act as parents to children, and we also celebrate Mother church. In the same way as Joseph and Mary and all parents make mistakes  - so too the church that we look to for guidance and sustenance make mistakes – it is after all a group of human beings.

In the same way as Mary and Joseph then tried to put right their mistake that day– going back and searching for Jesus until they found him – so too Mother church can follow their example and do everything possible to remedy any errors that have been made. And mother church, treasuring all these things  - pondering and remembering both the difficult times and the things that can be understood at the time – might also find a new understanding of life.

I read a surprising article in a magazine this week1 that seemed to be encouraging people to hold grudges! The writer said she couldn’t understand the advice of many self-help books that said ‘don’t keep old grudges in your life; they’ll weigh you down and make you bitter!’- because she loved her grudges! But then she realised that her definition of a grudge was wrong  - what she loved, was just what Mary did – thinking on the painful experiences of life until you work through to the point of being able to forgive – either yourself or someone else – and hold onto it then – a kind of redeemed grudge – as a valuable lesson learned. I this something we can do too as the people who make up Mother church?

Some people speak ill of the church – talking back against disciplines perhaps that Mother church requests for the benefit of the whole church – as she tries to point her children away from self-focus, and to see the bigger picture of being part of a family, and the good of one, being connected to the good of all.

But that day in the temple, though Jesus’ words may have been surprising to his parents, and even shocking for them to discover that he hadn’t put obedience to them first - we see that what he was saying was true.  Jesus knew that ultimately obedience to his heavenly father was of first importance, and for the one who would be known as Rabbi not many years later, the pull towards knowledge of God was strong.  But he did go back with his parents, balancing obedience to them and to God.

Some people find Mothering Sunday hard for different reasons – some of you may find it hard if the loss of your mother is still painful for you, or your parents made mistakes that you don’t feel were ever fully put right. Maybe your own experience of being a parent or not being able to be a parent means you find others celebration of Mother’s day hard to bear. And some may even miss the church that was your mother, or even feel sad or angry that Mother church has failed you.  For you I pray that as Mary pondered all these things, and eventually remembered them as treasure, so you too will find as you recall the hurts and seek understanding, that you will know God in them one day.

We thank God too for the mothers and others who do their best to raise children, we thank God for Mother church – and for all of you who make up that church as you do your best to pass on the love and wisdom of God to all God’s children.
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Having read Bible words that we usually hear around Christmas time we also think of Jesus’ life starting from his birth now as we sing :-

​StF 350 I cannot tell

​Prayers for others
Response –to ‘Loving parent God,’ -  hear our prayer
Loving parent God who cares for all, listen to our prayers today for our world, our nation, our church and ourselves.
Give insight to the leaders of all national governments and help them to see the policies that will bring about peace throughout our world. We pray for the leaders of Turkey and Syria as they seek to help their countries rebuild after the devastation of the earthquake.
Loving parent God, hear our prayer

Give wisdom to our national government that they may govern with compassion and justice. We pray for the implementation of the budget that it truly will help those in need and play a part in bringing economic recovery. Guide those who are shaping policy to respond to refugees. May they know that all those seeking asylum are some mother’s sons and daughters.
Loving parent God, hear our prayer

We pray for the leaders of the churches that they may work together to proclaim the good news of God’s love for all. Bless those with authority in our own denomination and church. Help them to discern the needs of local communities and respond with loving care. May your church reveal your grace and draw others to you.
Loving parent God, hear our prayer

Loving Lord you gave sight to the blind and healing to the sick. We commend to your tender care those with particular needs at this time naming in our hearts any about whom we are especially concerned. (s) May they know strength and peace from your presence. For we ask it in the name of Jesus
Amen

​StF 119 God of Eve and God of Mary

​Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and for ever.
Amen​

StF ​186 tell out my soul 

Blessings
God of all grace, show me how to embody your human, broken, precious love in all that I do this day, this week, and beyond. God of all hope, show me how to stand with those most in need, as you stand with me in my times of suffering and pain. Show me what is mine to do, in the healing of this whole world, in Jesus’ name,
Amen.