A Day to Celebrate

This coming Sunday is, in Canada, known as Mother’s Day. In recent years, in some Christian communities, there have been attempts to change mother’s day to Christian Family Sunday. There are a number of reasons for this, not all of which I understand. However, as I sat and thought about this day I began to wonder about its origins. So I decided to ask Google. It was a fascinating journey and a day to honour mothers is not a recent phenomenon!

Not a Recent Phenomenon

The ancient Greeks and Romans held a spring festival dedicated to maternal goddesses.

In the 1600’s in England Mothering Sunday was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The service focused on Mary the Mother of Jesus and at the end of the service children were encouraged to bring flowers and gifts to honour their own mothers.

What really grabbed my attention though was the fact that a mother’s day celebration in the Western world was suggested by Julia Ward in 1872. She was an activist, poet and writer and she wanted June 2 to be celebrated annually as mother’s day and dedicated to peace. She made a passionate plea to all women to rise up against war. She however is not recognized as the Founder of Mother’s Day. That honour is afforded to Anna Jarvis who lobbied diligently for this day based on the desire of her own mother who was an activist and social worker who dreamed that someday all mothers would be honoured and that their contributions would be celebrated.

I know that part of the reason for wanting to move away from Mother’s day is that

not all people have good mother’s,
not all women are mothers in the biological sense,
some children in today’s family configuration do not have someone they know as mother but have two fathers.
There is the school of thought that perhaps by emulating mothers some will feel left out, or will be inundated by images that are not good.
Then there are those who feel we need to do away with all distinctions that will separate men and women.

While each of these reason may hold merit I must admit that I am still a proponent of mother’s day.

I believe that this is a day to celebrate the women in our lives, past and present, whose example has made the world a better place. There are many kinds of mothers – I have my biological mother who has played an integral role in who I have become. However, I have other women who have held a place of support and encouragement in my life. Each of them has gifted me with something unique and special and they have modeled for me the essence of what it is to be a woman and a mother.

I also really like the idea that this celebration of women has its roots in ancient times and that it is rooted in activism and peace.

I Celebrate The Mothers On My Journey

So today I celebrate the mothers on my journey who …

have shown me strength, determination and grace.

have made it possible for me to have a voice

have created the firm foundation on which I can stand

have challenged me to grow and learn and change

have surrounded me with love

have healed my wounds

have been the face of Christ for me.

Blessings
Valerie