May is a beautiful month. The flowers have blossomed and the trees have regained their leaves. Most days are sunny and the weather is still temperate. It’s a time for First Communions, Confirmations, and Graduations. For many, the more relaxed summer routine is just around the corner.
This month is beautiful for another reason. It’s the month when we honor our mothers, both living and dead. Mothers’ Day is not a religious observance but it fits well with our faith. After all, it is through our mothers that we received the gift of life. And it is often the case that our mothers are most influential in helping us to know and love God and to practice our faith. More often than we remember, they are the ones who helped us learn life skills, who guided us with our lessons, and who took care of us when we were sick. And while taking such good care of their families, many wives and mothers also pursued careers and held down full-time or part-time jobs.
Motherhood is more than a job. It is a vocation to love and nurture the gift of life, both divine and human. It entails a nearly unlimited time commitment and an ever- changing set of responsibilities as their children grow toward adulthood. And it is a job that never finishes. May 93 year old mother is still anxious when I travel, take on too many responsibilities, or get sick. She can still tell when something is bothering me. No one knows and loves us in quite the same way as a good and loving mother.
Mothers’ Day gives us an opportunity to say thanks in the best possible way. Not flowers, candy, or breakfast in bed but by remembering them at Mass, by asking the Lord to bless them. This is something we can do for our mothers whether they are living or dead. And it’s the best gift of all.
And while we’re at it – May is beautiful because it is Mary’s month – Mary, the Mother of God. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if we took just 15 minutes to say a Rosary for our mothers – asking the Mother of God to bless them and keep them in her love? To all our mothers throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore – happy Mothers’ Day!