Mother Said...

Let us love one another; for love is of God. 1 John 4:7

My mother was famous for spitting out a one liner to make me stop in my tracks and really think!  I’d like to share a few that came to mind as I remembered her on Mother’s day.

 “The greatest way to serve God is to serve others!”  And yes serving can mean folding your brother’s socks and mopping the floor and picking up SOMEONE ELSE'S mess! It’s all in the intention!
 
“Pretty is; is pretty does.”  The “outside” of someone is just what grabs our attention, once they look your way then it’s your chance to let the love of Christ living inside you shine to everyone who’s looking. 
 
“Pay attention…it doesn’t cost anything to pay attention.”  Our loving Father is the inventor of  EACH and EVERY detail of our day, including the events we like and the ones we don’t. We are drawn much closer to Him when we pay attention to the things He’s trying to teach us in all of the details and seemingly insignificant parts of our day.
 
When I would complain about a small affliction or inconvenience, she would look at me with her loving green eyes and sweetly say, “So, tell me, how do you think that compares to being hung on a cross? Hmm…if it doesn’t then you have a great chance to tell Jesus thank you and suffer a tiny bit for a good intention and not think so much about yourself.”

As I think about the words of Barb my earthly mother, I also think of Mary, the mother of us all and some of the powerful words from Scripture that she spoke to us. In Luke’s Gospel we hear Mary say, “May it  be done to me according your word.”   Not her way, or in her time, but as a loving mother she teaches us all in those words that we are called to do God’s will not our own.  In John’s Gospel she tells the servers at the wedding in Cana “Do
whatever He tells you.”  I don’t know about you but I need a daily dose of those words from Mother Mary. The days we can “do whatever He tells us” are always good days!

I asked my little lovelies what the “BEST” moms do and they said “they love us, care for us, teach us how to pray, take us to Mass, pray with us and feed us.”  One student quickly added “and not just vegetables and healthy stuff but cookies and cake too.”  As we honor, thank and remember all mothers we ask God’s blessing on them and pray that the Holy Spirit will fill them with words of wisdom and faith and encouragement.  May all Mothers strive to follow the beautiful example of Blessed Mother Mary and love and teach with her strength, courage and gentleness.

A Seed To Plant: Stop this week and say a prayer for all those women who said YES to motherhood.  Say a special prayer for those struggling to say that yes; may the spirit of God bring them the courage and peace to say YES to life. 

Blessings on your day!