A Mother's Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48/1Jn 4:7-10/John 15:9-17

Here in the United States we celebrate Mother's Day on May 13. The readings for this Sunday are fitting, since they talk of God's love and how "everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God" (Jn 15:9).

When I think of motherhood, I admit that I never really understood the depths of love until I had children of my own. For my own Mother, I was the typical child--when I was little, the sun rose and set on my Mother's words. When I was a teenager, nothing she said or did was quite right. As a young adult, she never understood my ways. In her dying, she taught me the greatest lesson of all--eternal love, for despite all of my transgressions and stubbornness my Mother loved me.

On the night before she died, my Mother called me. When the phone rang, I feared the worst--for I knew how sick she was. Wracked in pain and weakened from her cancer, I have no idea how she dialed the phone from her hospital bed. When I answered, I could hear her faint whisper. "Judith" she said, "I love you, I have always loved you, and I always will love you." I told her how much I loved her as well, little knowing those would be the last words I heard from my Mother. I hear those words all these years later and they are still sweet. Each time I celebrate the Eucharist, I know my Mother is celebrating with me in the eternal banquet and that brings me peace. My Mother, while physically not by my side, is with me for all eternity through love.

A mother's love. As I said earlier--I never truly understood love until I had my own child. The love that is truly the imitation of God was discovered through the the bearing forth of new life. The creative, active force of creation (eros), with the self-giving and sacrificing love (agape)--this is the image of God's love we are called to be. A mother carries the child she has not yet met inside of her, sacrificing her body for the one who exists because she offers her very self for their being. This love for the unknown one is so deep, a mother gladly gives everything she has for the life she has not yet held in her arms, kissed with her lips, seen or spoken to. Through great pain and suffering that life comes into the world--yet it is followed with such great joy that the agony is erased. Mothers know the Paschal Mystery in an intimate way--through great agony comes great joy if we but cooperate with God.

The readings from this Sunday speak of love and how we are to love one another. It is not an ideal, but a command from the Lord to "love one another." When we love as God loves, this love will bear great fruit--fruits of a society where all is rooted in love as emulated by Jesus Christ--not the distorted love that man has created and promulgated.

Women know intimately what it means to bring forth life through love as God loves--to be bearers of hope. Our Blessed Mother is our example--not solely for women, but for all believers. Mary's 'yes' is an  act of great trust and love. It is opening oneself up completely to the Will of the Father so that we may be life for the world.

Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focalarre Movement, reflects on the vocation of Mary and how we are to emulate her as we live our vocation as disciples of Christ. Chiara writes:

I went into church one day and with my heart full of trust, I asked (the Lord):

“Why did you wish to remain on earth, on every point of the earth, in the most sweet Eucharist, and you, you who are God, have not found also a way to bring here and to leave here Mary, the mother of all of us who journey?”

In the silence He seemed to reply:

“I have not left her because I want to see her again in you. Even if you are not immaculate, my love will virgninize you, and you, all of you, will open your arms and hearts as mothers of humanity, which, as in times past, thirsts for God and for His mother. It is you who now must soothe pains, soothe wounds, dry tears. Sing her litanies and strive to mirror yourself in them.”

How can we, like Mary, be a mirror of God's love? How can we be bearers of hope and love in a world in need of both?