“Mothering Sunday”

Dr Richard Smith 11/05/2025

Readings -

Introduction

Today, on Mother’s Day, we gather to celebrate and give thanks for the gift of motherhood in all its forms: for our own mothers, for those who have mothered us, for the example of Mary the mother of Jesus, and for the nurturing love the Church provides in many forms in its Schools, Hospitals, Aged Care and for the Homeless. This is a day of both joy and reflection-a time to honour those who have cared for us and to consider how we are called to care for others.

The Many Faces of Mothering

Mother’s Day is not just about biological mothers. The scriptures remind us of the diverse expressions of mothering love. We see it in Jochebed, the mother of Moses, who risked everything to protect her child; in Pharaoh’s daughter, who showed compassion and courage by adopting Moses; and in Mary, who stood by Jesus even in his suffering and death. These stories remind us that mothering is about selfless love, courage, and the willingness to nurture and protect others-even at great cost.

Mothering qualities are not limited by gender or family ties. Each of us is called to embody the nurturing, caring, and sacrificial love that reflects the heart of God. "Mothering qualities, however we define them, are revealed in each of us being in the image of God, capable of acts of Goodness and standing up for the Truth no matter how uncomfortable it is for us".

God’s Mothering Love

Throughout scripture, God’s love is often described in maternal terms. Jesus himself likened his care to that of a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings. The Church, too, is described as our mother-nurturing us, guiding us, and welcoming us into the family of God through baptism. Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century English mystic, in her influential work Revelations of Divine Love,  describes God as both our Father and our Mother, a concept that was strikingly original and daring for her time.

Experiencing God as both Father and Mother we experience through Mother Earth. This experience gives rise to a more integrated spirituality since it recognises both the transcendent (Father) and immanent (Mother) aspects of God.

This happens as we embrace the wisdom, nurture, and cycles of nature as expressions of divine love and care. Also, as we understand that spiritual growth is grounded in our connection to the earth and to each other, reflecting the unity and diversity within the divine.

A Day of Mixed Emotions

For many, Mothering Sunday is a day of joy and gratitude. For others, it may bring pain-because of loss, difficult relationships, or unfulfilled hopes. The Church acknowledges these complexities and holds space for both celebration and sorrow. If Mothering Sunday is not a happy time for you then don’t forget that we can offer our sadness to God as well as our happiness as we are each, first and foremost, children of God.

Called to Care

Mothering Sunday is ultimately a call to care. Saint Paul  encouraged the Colossians (3:12) to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience". These are the virtues of a loving community, modelled after both our earthly mothers and our heavenly parent.

Conclusion

As we leave today, let us remember that we are all called to mothering-to nurture, to protect, to encourage, and to love. May we reflect the mothering love of God in all we do, and may we be grateful for those who have shown us that love, in whatever form it has come through out our life.

Let us give thanks for mothers, for those who have mothered us, for Mary, for the Church, and for the nurturing heart of God and Mother Earth. And let us go out to share that love with the world.

Amen.