MOTHERING SUNDAY 15 03 2026
FIRST READING: Exodus 2.1-10
Second Reading: Colossians 3.12-17
GOSPEL Luke 2.33-35
Today is the much-awaited Mothering Sunday and this is observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent every year. The tradition of Mothering Sunday had a different significance when it began. This tradition in the UK started during the middle ages and people would on this day visit their homes and their mother churches where they were baptised. Later, it was a day people working as domestic servants and live in apprentices would visit their homes, their mothers and their mother church. A century ago, in 1908 by Anna Jarvis in West Virginia campaigned for a day to honour mothers and that has influenced our current approach to remember our Mothers on this Mothering Sunday, remembering with gratitude all that they have done for us from the moment of or birth. While we remember our mothers, we also remember or nans, aunties, sisters, stepmums, teachers, carers and many other inspiring role models and female figures.
One of the great wonders of creation is the wonder of child birth. A life is formed in the womb of the mother, from a tiny tiny fertilised egg, growing, taking shape, as we take a form al the inner organs are formed and all through the process, the mothers body gives us oxygen and food and we are nourished and kept alive and we are part of our mothers body causing a bump and putting her to discomfort and inconvenience, yet she bears us and carries us around and when the time comes if a normal delivery, she has to endure great pain as she gives birth.
She gently cares for us and nurtures us after we are born. The mother participates in the work of God, of brining a new life into the world. Then in every stage as we grow up she is there, knowing our nature, guiding, correcting, feeding, healing. While men and women are created in the image of God the woman is an instrument of Gods life giving miracle. Life is not possible without a mother, even the son of God needed a mother to incarnate in this world.
Till a particular stage we as children have no clue of the difficulties our mother is facing, enduring, sacrificing and they are not worried about that.
Today’s readings present before us great mothers, the women who made Moses possible and the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When Moses was born, it was a difficult time and male babies were killed by Pharaohs orders. There were Egyptian midwives Shiphrah and the other Puah who defied the kings orders and let the babies live. When Moses was born, the mother kept him secretly but when he was three months old, she made a basket and left him in the river, with his sister watching. Then comes another mother, Pharoah’s daughter, she adopts Moses and let him grow in the palace. The Blessed Virgin receives the Son of God in her womb, let him grow in her womb and she gave birth to him, we hear that she was concerned about Jesus as he faced challenges and opposition. Then as he was crucified watched this tragedy with great pain. That was what was prophesied by Simeon, a sword will pierce your own soul.
As we remember these great mothers, on this Mothering Sunday we remember with gratitude our mothers, their toiling, their struggles and sacrifice.