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SYNOPSIS OF MOTHER’S DAY REFLECTIONS – May 8, 2016 (L/16)
Introduction: Today we thank our mothers, pray for them and honor them by
celebrating Mother’s Day and by offering our mothers on the altar of God. The
origin of “Mother’s Day.” Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948), first suggested the
national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had
loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10,
1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower), to each person
who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers
gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in
the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson
proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day
as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our
country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor
departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day.
Proverbs 31:10-31 presents us with God’s description and estimation of what a
godly wife and mother looks like.
The role of mothers in our lives: This is a day to admit gratefully the fact that
none of us is able to return, in the same measure, all the love that our mothers
have given us. Their influence on their children is so great that it affects the
children throughout their lives. Our mothers not only gave us birth but nursed us,
nurtured us, trained us in their religious beliefs and practices, taught us good
manners and ideal behavior, disciplined us as best as they could and made us
good citizens of our country, our Church and our society. There is a beautiful
Spanish proverb: "An ounce of mother is better than a pound of clergy." Hence,
it is highly proper for us to express our love and gratitude to our mothers by our
presence, gifts and prayers on Mother’s Day. We offer this Eucharistic
celebration on Mother’s Day for all the mothers in our congregation, whether they
are alive or have gone for their eternal reward. The word “mom” is synonymous
with sacrificial, agápe love in its purest form, as given by Jesus in his farewell
speech: "Love one another as I have loved you.” Hence, let us lavish our love
on our mothers and express our gratitude for them in the form of fervent prayers
offered for them, before God.
Remember that a Christian has two mothers: On Mother’s Day, let us
acknowledge the truth that we have two mothers: our earthly mother and our
Heavenly Mother, the Mother of Jesus. The Catholic Church proclaims the great
nobility of the Mother of Jesus, Mary most holy, and presents her as the supreme
model for all mothers. On this Mother’s Day, presenting all mothers on the altar,
let us sing the beautiful song we sing on the Feast of the Presentation, “Gentle
woman, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us love.” Let us show our love
and appreciation for both of them and let us ask our Heavenly Mother to take
care of our earthly mothers. We need to be persons for others, sacrificing our
time, talents and lives for them, as our mothers are.
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MOTHER’S DAY REFLECTIONS – MAY 8th, 2016
The origin of “Mother’s Day.” It was Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948), who first
suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers
because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her
mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite
flower), to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a
day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a
number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress,
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s
Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and
reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to
wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a
custom that continues to this day.
Let us salute our mothers: Mothers should be saluted 1) for their tenacious and
sacrificial love for their children 2) for the tremendous impact they have on their
children and 3) for their intimate relationship with us from birth to death. We
learn to speak by calling “mom” and die with the same name on our lips.
Offer mothers on the altar today: We offer this Mass on Mother’s Day for all our mothers,
whether they are alive or have gone to their eternal reward. We also thank God for all mothers in
this congregation and offer them on the altar. There is a beautiful Spanish proverb: "An
ounce of mother is better than a pound of clergy." The word “mom” is
synonymous with sacrificial, agápe love in its purest form as given by Jesus in his
farewell speech: "Love one another as I have loved you.” On this Mother’s Day, let
us gratefully admit the fact that we can not return, in the same measure, all the
love that our mothers have given us. Hence, let us thank our mothers today by
lavishing our love on them if they are alive and by offering our prayers for them
if they have gone for their eternal reward. When Giuseppe Sarto, Pope St. Pius
X, first became a Bishop, he experienced a little touch of vanity as he proudly
held up his hand to his loving mother and said, “Mother, look at my Episcopal
ring!.” His mother, being a strong Italian peasant, returned by holding up her
elderly and worn hand bearing her wedding ring and said: “If it were not for this
ring, you would not have that ring!” Who can ever take the place of a mother
who gave us birth, trained us, sacrificed her time and heath for us? "A Mother's
love will go with her sons whether he goes to the governor's chair or the electric
chair." (Dr. Meck)
A Christian has two mothers: On Mother’s Day, let us Christians acknowledge
the truth that we have two mothers: our earthly mother and our Heavenly
Mother, Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Catholic Church proclaims the great
nobility of the Mother of Jesus, Mary most holy, and presents her as the supreme
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model for all mothers. Born into humble surroundings, she was called by God to
be the mother of the Son of God. She affirmed her obedience to the call of God,
and she lived her vocation throughout her entire life. Mary, the Mother of Jesus,
our Blessed Mother, is the true model of motherhood. “It can thus be said that
women, by looking to Mary, find in her the secret of living their femininity with
dignity and of achieving their own true advancement. In the light of Mary, the
Church sees in the face of women the reflection of a beauty which mirrors the
loftiest sentiments of which the human heart is capable: the self-offering totality
of love; the strength that is capable of bearing the greatest sorrows; limitless
fidelity and tireless devotion to work; the ability to combine penetrating intuition
with words of support and encouragement” (Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris
Mater). The month of May is traditionally the month of Mary. Through Mary, the
work of Motherhood is glorified and sanctified. On this Mother’s Day,
presenting all mothers on the altar, let us sing the beautiful song we sing on the
Feast of the Presentation, “Gentle woman, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us
love.”
Mothers and motherly women in the Bible: Certainly the Bible recognizes
women in positions of power - women who have contributed to making the
world a better place. There was Miriam who led the people in praising God after
the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex 15:21); Ruth who put God first and became the
ancestress of King David (Ruth 1:16; 4:17); Deborah, a judge in Israel (Judges 5);
Hannah who "gave to the Lord" the child of her prayers (1Sam 1:28); Esther who
took her life in her hands to plead for her doomed people (Esther C:14-30); the
widow whose obedience sustained the prophet Elijah (1Kings 17:9-16); a little
captive maid who told Naaman's wife of the man of God who could cure
Naaman of his leprosy (2Kings 5:2-4). The most important mother in the New
Testament is Jesus’ Mother, Mary, whom Jesus, on the cross, gave to be Mother
to all of us for whom He died. Jesus praises the poor widow for her gift of two
mites to the Temple (Mk 12:43). The New Testament also presents some women
who showed maternal love. There is the woman who anointed Jesus with the
expensive ointment (Mk 14:3); Martha who served and Mary who sat at the feet
of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42); Mary Magdalene who brought spices to anoint Jesus,
who first greeted the risen Lord and who received the first commission –“Go
tell” (Jn 20:17-18; Mk 16:9); Lydia one of the first converts in Macedonia (Acts
16:14); Tabitha, called Dorcas - full of good works (Acts 9:36); Phoebe and
Priscilla - servants of the Church (Rom 16:1-4); Lois and Eunice who had sincere
faith (2Tim 1:5), Persis "the beloved" and Tryphena and Tryphosa who labored
for the Lord (Romans 16:12). So being a mother does not suggest lack of initiative
and ability. It does mean getting priorities straight. It doesn't mean freeing men
from all responsibility with young children. It means sharing responsibility but
recognizing gifts.
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Ideal wife and mother in Proverbs: Proverbs 31:10-31 presents us with God’s
description and estimation of what a godly wife and mother looks like. 1. She is a
devoted wife (vv 11, 12, 23). She is one who has the confidence of her husband; she
seeks his welfare, and enhances his reputation. 2. She is a diligent partner (vv 1317, 18b, 19, 22, 24). As a woman with God's viewpoint, she is a willing worker, a
wise shopper and a planner who is able to minister to her family because she
keeps herself fit, spiritually and physically (cf. vv 18a, 25). 3. She is a dutiful
servant to the needy and the poor (v 20). She has a vision for ministry not only to
her family but to her society. 4. She is a dependable mother (vv 15, 21, 27). She is
devoted to the needs of her family. She is well-groomed, attractive, organized
and disciplined; as such, she is a testimony to her children. 5. She is a doctrinally
oriented woman (v 26). She is a woman full of God's wisdom. St. Paul exhorts
husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 6:25).
Husbands have the solemn duty to sacrifice themselves continually in their total
love for their wives and their children. Each day provides numerous
opportunities for husbands to live out their family life with many acts of
patience, kindness and service. The most important thing a father can do for his
children is to love their mother.
Eminent men on mothers: George Washington once said, "My mother was the
most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my
success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from
her.” Abraham Lincoln spoke similar words when he said, "All that I am or ever
hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." Theodore Roosevelt has the following
beautiful advice to all mothers: “Into the woman's keeping is committed the
destiny of the generations to come after us. In bringing up your children, you
mothers must remember that, while it is essential to love and be tender, it is no
less essential to be wise and firm. ” Thomas Edison once said, “I did not have my
mother long, but she cast over me an influence which has lasted all my life. The
good effects of her early training I can never lose. If it had not been for her
appreciation and her faith in me at a critical time in my experience, I should
never likely have become an inventor. I was always a careless boy, and with a
mother of different mental caliber, I should have turned out badly. But her
firmness, her sweetness, her goodness were potent powers to keep me in the
right path. My mother was the making of me. The memory of her will always be
a blessing to me.”
Intercessory prayers for mothers on Mother’s Day (USCCB)
http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/prayers/intercessory-prayers-families.cfm
For all mothers, particularly those who are with child: that they may be
supported by loved ones and warm friends, and that they may
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be understood and blessed; We pray to the Lord:
For young mothers everywhere, and especially those who are tempted to
despair: that through the child they carry deep within,
they might know hope and joy; We pray to the Lord:
For all mothers, especially those who are young or alone:
beaten or addicted; that God might heal their broken hearts
and seal them with his love; We pray to the Lord:
For mothers, especially those wracked with fear: depression or despair, that
the new life of their child may touch them with the eternal love of God;
We pray to the Lord:
For young mothers tempted to abort their child: that God's grace might
give them the wisdom and fortitude to preserve the gift they carry within them;
We pray to the Lord:
For mothers tempted to abortion: that God might teach us how to love
them; We pray to the Lord:
For expectant mothers: for the gifts of patient endurance and joyful hope;
We pray to the Lord:
For each mother who has miscarried: that her love for the child of her
womb
might deliver her from grief
and join her to the hope of the Cross of Christ;
We pray to the Lord:
For pregnant teenagers: that we might provide examples for them
of holy and faithful married love; We pray to the Lord:
For the eternal repose of our deceased mothers: We pray to the Lord:
Mothers
Day
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsJAvfXbWk4&feature=player_embedded
20- Anecdotes for Mother’s Day
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# 1:
Mother’s sacrificial love: On Sunday, August
16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just after taking off from the
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. One hundred fifty-five people were
killed. One survived with injuries: a 4-year-old from Tempe, Arizona, named
Cecelia. News accounts say when rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she
had been on the plane. Investigators first assumed Cecelia had been a passenger
in one of the cars on the highway onto which the airliner crashed. But when the
passenger register for the flight was checked, there was Cecelia's name. "Cecelia
survived because, as the plane was falling, Cecelia's mother, Paula Chican,
unbuckled her own seat belt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter,
wrapped her arms and body around Cecelia, and then would not let her go." She
was a real mother. That sounds to me like a metaphor of the love of God.
# 2: "How are you able to stand all the pain of family rejection?" There was an
interesting story on CNN not long ago about a twenty-five year old man in San
Francisco who was dying of AIDS. And you know how he got it and I do too.
Because of that his father had completely disowned him. His mother was dead.
So there was nobody. The man looked like he could not weigh over a hundred
pounds and had the look of death on his face. The reporter asked him how he
was able to stand all of the pain, not only of death, but the pain of family
rejection. He gave an interesting answer. He said, “I stand it by closing my eyes
and imagining that I will awaken in the arms of my mother. I know that she will
never leave my side.” I tell you friends, long after some fathers have disowned
their children a mother will still be there. There is a tenacity about mothers.
# 3: Mother has the authority to correct: You may be grown-up now, but to your
mother, you are still fair game for correction. When his pager went off during a
council meeting, Knoxville, Tenn. Police Chief Phil Keith was startled to see that
the call was from his mother. Concerned, he rushed to the press table and
phoned her. "Phil Keith, are you chewing gum?" asked his mom, who had been
watching the council meeting on cable TV. "Yes, ma'am," answered Chief Keith.
“Well, it looks awful," his mother said. "Spit it out." Keith dutifully removed the
gum and went back to his meeting.
# 4: Humor: Mothers Can Be Shrewd: Former president Jimmy Carter spoke at
Southern Methodist University and related an incident that occurred after he had
left the White House. A woman reporter came to Plains, Georgia, to interview his
mother in relation to an article about Mr. Carter and his family. His mother really
didn't want to be interviewed, but was being gracious. So when the reporter
knocked at her door, Mrs. Carter invited her in. The reporter asked some hard
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questions and actually was rather aggressive and rude. "I want to ask you a
question," she said. "Your son ran for the presidency on the premise that he
would always tell the truth. Has he ever lied?" Mrs. Carter said, "I think he's
truthful; I think you can depend on his word." The reporter again asked if he had
ever lied in his entire life. His mother said, "Well, I guess maybe he's told a little
white lie." "Ah, see there!" the reporter exclaimed. "He's lied! If he told a white
lie, he has lied." The reporter was still not satisfied and asked, "What is a white
lie?" And then Lillian Carter said, "It's like a moment ago when you knocked on
the door and I went to the door and said I was glad to see you."
# 5: "Let the boy go home with his mother. A. Lincoln." During the Civil War a
Confederate Major by the name of Horace Harmon Lurton was taken prisoner by
the Union forces. In prison, Major Lurton developed tuberculosis. His mother
came to visit him and was alarmed by his condition. She knew her son would die
if he stayed behind bars. So Mrs. Lurton traveled to Washington to beg mercy
from the only person she thought could help her, the President of the United
States, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was so moved by this mother's concern that he
sat down and wrote a note to the Union forces in charge of her son's prison. It
said simply, "Let the boy go home with his mother. A. Lincoln." Horace Harmon
Lurton was released from prison. He recovered from his tuberculosis and went
on become a distinguished lawyer and the chief justice of the Supreme Court of
his state.
# 6: Wherever mother is that is where home is: A priest was visiting a family
who had just moved to Memphis from Baltimore, Maryland. The pastor asked
the man if he was originally from Baltimore and he said: “No, my family
transferred around quite frequently and there is really no one place that I can say
was home.” The he said something I shall never forget. He said: “I suppose that
wherever mother was that is where home was.” Wherever mother is that is
where home is. Maybe a lot of us can identify with that. A house is a physical
place. A home is where our loved ones are gathered.
#7 : My mother’s Bible: Axelrod shares this story about a magnificent mom: Four
preachers were discussing their favorite translations of the Bible. The first one
said, "I like the King James Version because of its beautiful English." Another
said, "I like the New American Standard version because it is closer to the
original Greek and Hebrew." The third one declared, "I like the Good News
version because it's so easy to read. The fourth minister was silent for a moment
then said, "I like my mother's translation best." The other three men were
surprised. They said, "I didn't know your mother made a translation of the
Bible." "Yes," he replied. "She translated it into everyday life. And it was the most
beautiful and convincing translation I ever saw."
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# 8: My mother’s God: Two college students went to hear the notorious agnostic
Robert Ingersoll lecture in his heyday. As they walked down the street after the
lecture, one said to the other, “Well, I guess he knocked the props out from
under Christianity, didn’t he?” The other said, “No, I don’t think so. Ingersoll
did not explain my mother’s life, and until he can explain my mother’s life, I will
stand by my mother’s God. [James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Tyndale,
1972), pg. 38].
# 9: How did God create the first mom? By the time the Lord made the woman
he was into his sixth day of creation and working overtime. An angel
approached and said "Why are you spending so much time on this creature?"
And the Lord answered and said, “I am making a woman who is to become the
mother of all mankind. So she should have some special features: 1) Six pairs of
hands, five of them invisible. 2) Three pairs of eyes, one visible pair in the front,
the second and the third invisible pairs at the back and at the sides of her head.
3) A large and elastic heart. 4) A lap that can hold three children at one time and
that disappears when she stands up. The angel said, “I can guess why a mom
should have six pairs of hands and a large heart, but why three pairs of eyes?
God said, “One pair of invisible x-ray eyes at the sides to see through closed
doors when she knocks at the door asks, "What are you kids doing?" And she
already knows what is going on inside. The second invisible pair at the back of
her head is to see what she is not supposed to see, but has to see as a responsible
mother. And of course, the third pair of normal eyes in the front is to look at a
child when he makes a mistake and say without uttering a word, “Dear, I
understand you, I love you.” “Any other specification?” the angel asked. God
said, “She should be able to run on black coffee and leftovers. She should have a
kiss that can cure anything from a bruised leg to a broken heart from a
disappointing love affair. She should be able to heal herself when she is sick.
She should feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger, and finally she
should have eyes that shed tears of joy and pride, tears of sadness, tears of
disappointment and tears of old age aches and loneliness.” The Angel was
impressed. "You are a genius, Lord, this woman is amazing.” Is this not the
picture of your mom? [Adapted from Erma Bombeck’s essay entitled, When God
Created Women].
10) Home is where mother is: Mother Teresa relates this incident about a boy.
“Once I picked up a child and took him to our Children’s Home; we gave him
a bath, clean clothes, and everything. After a day, the child ran away.
Somebody else found him, but again he ran away. Then I said to the Sisters:
'Please follow the child and see where he goes when he runs away.' And the
child ran away the third time. There under the tree was the mother. She had
put a small earthenware vessel on two stones and was cooking something she
had picked out of the dustbin. The Sisters asked the child: ‘Why did you run
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away from the Home?’ And the child said, ‘This is my home because this is
where my mother is.'" True! Wherever our mothers are, there our home is.
(John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies).
11) "Way to go, Mom. Way to go!" A man was boarding an airplane one day. As
he came on board, he happened to notice that the head of the plane's cockpit
flight crew was a woman. That was no problem. Still, it was a new experience for
him. As he found his seat, he noticed three persons sitting immediately behind
him. One was a young boy about six or seven years of age. Next to him was a
man in his early thirties. And next to the man was a woman in her early sixties.
The man could not help overhearing the conversation among these three persons
as the plane made final plans for departure from the gate. It was not long before
he realized that they were the woman pilot's family. The boy was her son. The
man was her husband. And the older woman was her mother. Suddenly he
realized why the family was on the plane. This was the first time the woman
pilot had been the head of a flight crew! They were there to honor her
promotion. The plane taxied down the runway and poised itself for takeoff. The
engines began to roar, and the plane gained speed quickly. Within seconds they
were airborne. As the plane began to ascend the bank to the south, the six-yearold boy began to applaud! "Way to go, Mom. Way to go!" (Norman Neaves) This
morning we are applauding our Moms. "Way to go, Moms, way to go!" Truly,
today's Mom deserves all the support and applause she we can give her.
12) Rudyard Kipling wrote:
If I were hanged on the highest hill, I know whose love would follow me still.
Mother of mine. Mother of mine.
If I were drowned in the deepest sea, I know whose tears would come down to
me.
Mother of mine, Mother of mine.
If I were damned by body and soul, I know whose prayers would make me
whole.
Mother of mine, mother of mine
13) Magnet or mother? A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the
magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this
question: "My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What
am I? "When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find
that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word
"Mother".
14) Economics of Mother’s Day: Nearly three-quarters of the nation's 103.4
million women aged 15 and older are mothers. 23% have one child; 35% have
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two; 21% have three; 21% have four or more. Mother's Day trounces poor
Father's Day by a long shot. Hallmark estimates that 150 million Mother's Day
cards will be sent this year (but only 95 million Father's Day cards), making
Mother's Day the third largest greeting card holiday of the year. U.S. Americans
spend an average of $105 on Mother's Day gifts, $90 on Father's Day gifts. The
phone rings more often on Mother's Day than Father's Day. (Business Week
survey, as reported in "Happy Mother's Day," The Boomer Report, May 1998, 3.)
The busiest day of the year at car washes? The Saturday before Mother's Day.
What Mom thinks still matters. Even if it is a fallacy, we do like to think of
Mother's Day as "Mom's day off." Usually this takes the form of dining out for
one of the three meals. Making her breakfast in bed. Maybe doing some of the
more odious chores that have stacked up like cordwood around the house.
15) Day Care: What Is the Difference? Only one long-term study has ever been
done on the effects of day care and this by Moore in 1975. His findings were
largely negative. Boys reared in substitute care were more aggressive,
nonconforming and less interested in academic subjects than boys reared at
home. Girls reared in substitute care were nostalgic about childhood, while girls
reared at home by their mothers were active, positive in their attitudes toward
the opposite sex and well-adjusted socially. Even Harvard's Kagan, himself an
advocate for day care, has said of day care's children, "I think they will be
different, but I can't say how." (Brenda Hunter in Homemade, October, 1987).
16) Who is the greatest preacher in your family? Dr. G. Campbell Morgan had 4
sons, and they were all preachers. Someone once came into the drawing room
when all the family was there. They thought they would see what Howard, one
of the sons, was made of so they asked him this question: "Howard, who is the
greatest preacher in your family?" Howard had a great admiration for his father
and he looked straight across at him, and then without a moment's hesitation he
answered, "Mother." (A. Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life, Eerdmans, p.
139).
17) "A sixth." A teacher asked a boy this question: "Suppose your mother baked a
pie and there were seven of you your parents and five children. What part of the
pie would you get?" "A sixth," replied the boy. "I'm afraid you don't know your
fractions," said the teacher. "Remember, there are seven of you." "Yes, teacher,"
said the boy, "but you don't know my mother. Mother would say she didn't want
any pie." (Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, p. 10).
18) In her footsteps: It was a busy day in Costa Mesa, a California home. But
then, with ten children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic for Davida
Dalton. On this particular day, however, she was having trouble doing even the
routine chores-all because of one little boy. Len, who was three at that time, was
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on her heels no matter where she went. Whenever she stopped to do something
and turned back around, she would trip over him. Several times, she patiently
suggested fun activities to keep him occupied “Wouldn’t you like to play on the
swing set?” she asked him. But he simply smiled an innocent smile and said,
“Oh, that’s all right, Mommy. I’d rather be in here with you.” Then he continued
to bounce happily along behind her. After stepping on his toes for the fifth time,
she began to lose her patience and insisted that he go outside and play with the
other children. When she angrily asked him why he was acting this way, he
looked up at her with sweet green eyes and said, “Well, Mummy, in Sunday
school my teacher told me to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. But I can’t see him, so I’m
walking in yours.” She gathered him in her arms and held him close. Tears of
love and humility spilled over from the prayer that grew in her heart, a prayer of
thanks for the simple, yet beautiful perspective of a three-year-old boy.
(John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies; added on Dec 18, 2012).
19) Scatter my ashes in the local Wal-Mart: A single mother who raised her only
child lavishing her whole love on her only daughter and spending her health and
wealth, time and talents on her upbringing. But the daughter dated and married
a drug addict against her mother’s warnings and wishes. As a well-employed
girl, she never cared to visit her mother. So on her deathbed the mother
instructed her attorney to cremate her body and to scatter the ashes in the local
Wal-Mart of the city where her daughter lived. He enquired why. The mother
said: “Then I will be able to see my daughter visiting me every week!”
20) Actor Kirk Douglas' mother: (Jan 4/14) I read something recently about actor
Kirk Douglas' mother. Douglas, for years one of Hollywood's most prominent
stars, but now known chiefly as Michel Douglas' father, remembers his mother as
a woman who overflowed with encouragement for her children. When he was
in his mother's presence, Kirk never doubted that he was special and beloved.
He recalls a visit he made to his mother's house not long after his first big movie
came out. Kirk's mother had invited all her friends over to meet him. When she
introduced Kirk, she announced, "This is my son. The earth trembles when they
mention his name." [Kirk Douglas, My Stroke of Luck (New York: HarperCollins,
2002), p. 124.] Now that's a proud mother. Does it make a difference when people
love you and believe in you and encourage you? Of course, it does. I feel for
children brought up by negative parents--critical, demanding, quick to
admonish, slow to praise. I see people every day who are scarred by parents who
could give them everything except what they needed most--unconditional love
and acceptance.
21) Ungrateful children: One day an African mother left her baby in the house as
she went down to the river to wash clothes. After some time she heard
screaming and saw smoke. As she ran toward the village, she saw that her house
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was on fire. "My baby, my baby" she cried. With no thought for her safety she
dashed into the house to save her baby. Just as she was leaving the burning
thatched roof fell on her but she managed to get the baby out safely. She herself
was badly burned and badly disfigured. This same mother used all of her
energy to take care of her child, to educate him and even to send him to medical
school. Her boy was a great success but never returned to the village. After
some years the mother wanted to see her son so she went to Kinshasa. With the
help of friends she found the office of her son the doctor. She knocked on the
door and a nurse opened it but was shocked by the presence of the disfigured
woman. "Yes?" "I want to see my son". "Who is your son?" "The doctor". The
nurse left the woman outside the office and went to ask the doctor if he could see
his mother. "My mother? What does she look like?" "She is horribly disfigured."
"In that case," said the doctor, "she cannot be my mother who is very beautiful.
Send her away." (Fr. Bobby Jose).
MOTHER’S DAY JOKES # 1: A four-year-old and a six-year-old presented
their mom with a houseplant. They had used their own money to buy it and she
was thrilled. The older of them said with a sad face, "There was a bouquet at the
flower shop that we wanted to give you. It was real pretty but it was too
expensive. It had a ribbon on it that said ‘Rest In Peace,’ and we thought it
would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace so that you
can rest.
#2: One Mom had a most revealing experience on the Mother’s Day. Her two
children ordered her to stay in bed. She lay there looking forward to being
brought her breakfast, as the inviting smell of bacon floated up from the
kitchen. At last the children called her downstairs. She found them sitting at
the table, each with a large plate of bacon and eggs: “As a Mother’s Day
surprise,” one explained, “we’ve cooked our own breakfast.”
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# 3: Angie, 8 years old, wrote: "Dear Mother, I’m going to make dinner for you
on Mother’s Day. It’s going to be a surprise. P.S. I hope you like pizza &
popcorn."
# 4: Did you hear about the 5-yr. old boy who said to his mother, “Mommy, I
love you, and when I grow up I’m going to get you an electric iron, an electric
stove, and electric toaster and an electric chair.” (The boy did not know that the
last one was used for electrocuting criminals).
# 5: Tony Campolo says that his wife is a brilliant woman. She has a Ph.D. and
is capable of pursuing a very profitable career. But she elected to stay home with
her children when they were young. Her decision didn’t bother her at all except
when other women would ask, “What do you do?” She would answer, “I’m a
homemaker. I stay home and take care of my children and my husband.” They
would usually respond with “Oh” and then ignore her from then on. So Mrs.
Campolo came up with this response when she was asked what she did: “I’m
socializing two Homo-sapiens in Judeo-Christian values so they’ll appropriate
the eschatological values of utopia. What do you do?” They would often blurt
out “I’m a doctor” or “I’m a lawyer” and then wander off with a dazed look in
their eyes.
# 6: Little children can come up with some very interesting ideas. Listen to what
some children wrote to their mothers for Mother’s Day. Robert wrote: "I got you
a turtle for Mother’s Day. I hope you like the turtle better than the snake I got
you last year." Eileen wrote: "Dear Mother, I wish Mother’s Day wasn’t always
on Sunday. It would be better if it were on Monday so we wouldn’t have to go to
school." Little Diane wrote: "I hope you like the flowers I got you for Mother’s
Day. I picked them myself when Mr. Smith wasn’t looking." And how about
this one from Carol? "Dear Mother, Here are two aspirins. Have a happy
Mother’s Day!”
# 7: 4-year-old wisdom: When your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush
your hair. You can’t trust fighting dogs to watch your food.
#8: First grader’s mom: For weeks a six-year old lad kept telling his first-grade
teacher about the baby brother or sister that was expected at his house. One day
the mother allowed the boy to feel the movements of the unborn child. The sixyear old was obviously impressed, but made no comment. Furthermore, he
stopped telling his teacher about the impending event. The teacher finally sat the
boy on her lap and said, "Tommy, whatever has become of that baby brother or
sister you were expecting at home?" Tommy burst into tears and confessed, "I
think Mommy ate it!"
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#9: A small boy is sent to bed by his mother...
[Five minutes later]
"Mom..." "What?"
"I'm thirsty. Can you bring me a glass of water?"
"No. You had your chance. Lights out."
[Five minutes later]
"Mom..." "WHAT?"
"I'm THIRSTY...Can I have a glass of water??"
"I told you NO! If you ask again I'll have to spank you!!"
[Five minutes later]
"Mommm..." "WHAT??!!"
"When you come in to spank me, can you bring me a glass of water?"
# 10: STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. “I love you so
much that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window.”
#11: A father came home from work just before supper and was met by his fiveyear-old daughter on the sidewalk outside his house. The little girl was not
smiling. "Is something wrong, honey?" he asked. "Yes," she said, "all day long
I’ve been having trouble with your wife."
# 12: Getting along with Mom: A cartoon shows two boys walking to school,
discussing their parents. One of them says to the other one, "I've figured out a
system for getting along with my Mom. She tells me what to do and I do it."
# 13: G.K. Chesterton once wrote: "Drunk or sober, she is still my mother."
Mother’s
Day
Blessing.
(http://www.cathedralchapel.org/)
Heavenly Father, Bless all those You have entrusted with motherhood. Inspire
them to follow the example of Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, and follow her in
her fidelity, humility, and selfless love. May all mothers receive Your Grace
abundantly in this life, and may they look forward to eternal joy in Your
presence in heaven. Amen.
A Prayer for Mothers
Our mothers are earthbound angels
Sent by God above
To give our lives direction
And fill our hearts with love.
They have no wings or halos
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And yet they are divine,
For years of toil and sacrifice
Have rendered them sublime.
So, mothers, may God bless you
Wherever you may be,
For the gift of love you gave us
Lives on eternally!
Thank you mother: Thank you, dear Lord, for our mothers: who were brave
enough to give birth, who loved through many growing-up years, who taught
about God and love and being good, who often got no thanks, whose ears could
hear the slightest cry, whose eyes didn't miss much either, whose hands held and
bathed and picked up, whose hearts were often broken, who always forgave and
forgot, who encouraged when things went badly, who always had time to listen,
who worked so hard to make things go, who make the world so much better,
who deserve our love on Mother's Day and every day even for eternity. Amen.
An Irish mother’s funny letter to her son
Dear Son,
I'm writing this letter slow because I know you can't read fast. We don't live
where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most
accidents happen within 20 miles from your home, so we moved. I won't be able
to send you the address because the last Irish family that lived here took the
house numbers when they moved so that they wouldn't have to change their
address. This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it
works so well though: last week I put a load in and pulled the chain and haven't
seen them since. The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the
first time for three days and the second time for four days.
About that coat you wanted me to send you, your Uncle Stanley said it would be
too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put
them in the pockets. John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really
worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out. Your sister
had a baby this morning; but I haven't found out what it is yet so I don't know if
you are an aunt or an uncle..... Uncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some
men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We
had him cremated and he burned for three days. Three of your friends went off a
bridge in a pick-up truck. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and
swam to safety. Your other two friends were in back. They drowned because
they couldn't get the tailgate down. There isn't much more news at this time.
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Nothing much has happened. Love, Mum. P.S. I was going to send you some
money but the envelope was already sealed.
Websites on Mothers Day homilies
1) http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/abc-mothers-day.php
2) http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Mothers-Day-SermonsVideos-Illustrations
3) http://www.preaching.com/sermons/mothers-day/
4) http://www.sermonsearch.com/topics/mothers-day/
I Am a Mother!
The officer at the driving license counter asked the lady: "What is your
occupation?"
The woman, seeking a renewal of her license seemed to be puzzled.
so the officer said "Ma'am, are you employed, have your own business or..."
"Oh yes!' The woman replied, "I do have a full time occupation. I am a mother!"
The officer rolled his eyes: "We don't have 'mother' as an option for occupation.
I'll write it down as 'housewife'. That takes care of all questions."
This had happened long ago, and was forgotten. Years later, when I (the woman
in the story, if you hadn't guessed) went to get my license, the public relations
officer was a somewhat pompous woman.
"Your occupation?" she asked in a rather authoritative tone.
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I just had a moment of inspiration and replied "I am a researcher in the field of
child development, nutrition and inter-personal relationships."
The lady officer stared at me in amazement.
I calmly repeated my statement and she wrote it down verbatim. Then, unable to
conceal her curiosity, she politely asked "What exactly do you do in your
profession, ma'am?"
I was feeling good about having described my occupation so calmly and
confidently, so I replied "My research projects have been going on for a number
of years [mothers NEVER retire]. My research is conducted in the laboratory as
well as in the field. I have two bosses [one is God and the other is my entire
family]. I have received two honors in this field [a son and a daughter].
My topic is considered to be the most difficult part of sociology.
[All moms will agree]. I have to work more than 14 hours every day. Sometimes
even 24 hours are not enough and the challenges are tougher than many other
professions. My compensation is in terms of mental satisfaction rather than
money."
I could see that the officer was thoroughly impressed. After completing the
licensing formalities, she came to the door to see me off.
This new viewpoint about my occupation made me feel much better on my
way back home.
I was welcomed by my 5-year old research assistant at the door. My new project
(my 6-month old baby) was energetically practicing her "music."
I had earned a small victory over the governmental red tape today. I was no
longer merely "a mother." Instead, I was now a highly placed functionary in a
service vital for mankind - motherhood!
"Mother " - isn't it a great title? Fit to be added to the nameplate on the door?
By this standard, grandmothers deserve to be called senior research officers,
and great-grandmothers qualify as research directors. Aunts and other ladies of
that age group can be called research facilitators!
Please share this with all mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers,
all ladies currently holding posts like this - they deserve it!
All husbands, fathers, please note!
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Kids answer the question on their mothers:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the Scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the
world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I
think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
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2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on
beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home, and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's
who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic; they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic
surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.
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If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it
and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back of her head.
L/15
Mom, the good shepherd
My mom is my shepherd; I shall not want. She makes me lie down under cool,
downy comforters. She watches me play beside still waters. She restores my soul.
She leads me in paths of respect, responsibility, and goodness, for I am her
namesake!
Yea, even though I walk past monsters in the dark, I will not be scared, because
my mom is always near me. Her hands and her voice, they comfort me.
Mama sets the table and cheerfully calls me to dinner even in front of big, mean
bullies.
She anoints my skinned knees and broken heart with kisses. She smiles and
throws me a towel when my cup runneth over.
Surely God's peace, power, and mercy shall uphold me all the days of my life, for
my Mother taught me to dwell in the house of God forever.
Source: Christian Education 101: A Child Learns to Trust by Laurie Hays Coffman(L/16)
“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle C (No. 31) by Fr. Tony: [email protected]
Visit our website: http://stjohngrandbay.org/ for previous Cycle B homilies, 56
Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) &
160 “Question of the Week.” Contact me using my ID [email protected]. Visit
http://en.radiovaticana.va >> Features >> Asia Liturgical Reflections for the Vatican
version of this homily.
Fr. Anthony. Kadavil, St. John the Baptist Church, P. O. Box 417, Grand Bay, AL 36541
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