Day 26 - A chance to celebrate

The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1-4 (NIV)

Mothering Sunday began in the 16th century. People were expected to return to their ‘Mother Church’ or Cathedral for a special service. This tradition continued through the centuries and led to workers being allowed a Sunday off to visit both their mothers and mother churches. Sadly, Mothering Sunday fizzled out by the start of the 20th Century. But Constance Penswick-Smith, a vicar’s daughter, wanted to rekindle interest and authored a book called the Revival of Mothering Sunday, and she also founded the Society for the Observance of Mothering Sunday. Her determination paid off and this special day was restored.

In America, Anna Jones initiated Mother’s Day in 1908. This was to honour her own mother who was a peace activist during the civil war. President Woodrow Wilson officially signed Mother’s Day into existence in 1914, and it is celebrated annually on the 2nd Sunday in May.

These events might appear unrelated, but it was Anna who inspired Constance to revive Mothering Sunday. Interestingly, Anna objected to the commercialisation of her special day and was even arrested for breach of the peace during one of her protests.

This Mothering Sunday background illustrates what John is alluding to during his warm greeting to Gaius. As he says in verse 4, ‘I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.’ He sees Gaius (‘who he loves in the truth,’ verse 2) as his spiritual child. How many of us are buoyed-up when we hear of our spiritual children, and physical children, are walking in the truth? And John’s intel has not come by idle gossip or rumour but by witness of fellow believers. The information had provenance. I wonder if these believers just happened to visit John, or whether he sought them out?

What are we doing today? Are we just supporting the mothers, the women, the parents, or those who have returned for Mothering Sunday? Will we rejoice at seeing our spiritual children? Will we celebrate mothers, single women and men who have a double-parent role? And if we have not heard from some folk for a long time, will we get in touch and find out how they are doing? I say ‘we’, because this is not just the responsibility of the John-like person in your Church.

Let us pray –

Father, it is easy to get wrapped up in in the processes of Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day but please help us to understand the real meaning. May we celebrate rejoicing with parents and those who continue to follow you. Help us to support mothers, ladies and fathers who provide a mothering role – Amen

Michael Rolton