Jesus’ witness as a loving and strong leader is apparent in this Sunday’s Gospel. He tells community members, “Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love … This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus’ witness as a loving and strong leader who forms loving and strong communities is well suited to today’s celebration of Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day was originally conceived during the time of the Civil War. Women whose sons had given themselves to non-Christ-like leaders, leaders who were hostile and weak and killed life, began corresponding. These women, whose sons were killed in that carnage from opposing sides, began to come together. They gathered in different endeavors to bring the war to an end. They were leaders in an effort to make sure such killing never happened again. From the spirit of those women and their gatherings, Julia Ward Howe in 1870 penned a notable proclamation, “Mother’s Day for Peace.” Her intent was to transform a violent culture that waged war into a loving culture that nurtured peace. It would be built on the commitment of all mothers to never send their sons into battle against each other again. Given the prevalence of Militarism in the culture such an observance was itself battled against. Thus, when in the early 1900’s Anna Jarvis removed the peacemaking element and coordinated instead a national day to honor mothers the nation’s press and politicians supported her efforts.
In honor of the original Mother’s Day, let us join with mothers across the world and “Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage … Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. … We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says ‘Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.’ … the great human family can live in peace, each bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.” (Julia Ward Howe 1870)
Prayer: Mother of all life, we commit ourselves to giving birth to peace.
Question: In what ways have I taken the lead and refused to train my children for killing and war and have instead nurtured them for the way of love and peace?
May 10, 2015 Gospel John 15:9-17 Sixth Sunday of Easter