Sunday 19 March 2023
- Bible Book:
- John
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ (v. 26)
Background
Today is traditionally a break in the Lenten fasting. It is a mid-Lent Sunday and those observing the season, take a respite from the Lenten discipline. Historically Mothering Sunday marks the Sunday when daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. They would also go back to their mother church for worship.
The Lenten fast excludes Sundays. Lent’s 40 days of observation include Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, and the fasting continues until Holy Saturday. Although Sundays are of course included as part of Lent, they are not prescribed as days of fast and abstinence.
When we stop fasting it does not mean we stop caring. If the example of Jesus on the cross, caring for others in spite of his own condition of suffering and helplessness, is to inspire us, we too should take special care of our relatives and loved ones.
Jesus entrusted the care of his mother Mary to his beloved disciple John. Good choice Jesus, as John, who was young, would be able to offer care to Mary for longer and he also may have been in need of a mother figure to care for him.
Those who love, will care for those whom they love. That involves dedication to, respect for, sometimes even self-sacrifice as the needs of the other come first. Love and care follows the popular law: the more you give the more you get.
It will be a tough Mothering Sunday for me this year as it is the first since my mother died last year. Two hours before she went to sleep and never woke up, we had a phone conversation: she was in Brazil and I was in the UK. She asked after me, the grandchildren and my wife, about the church and said: "God bless you, my son." Before going to sleep, she voiced her prayers, with my sister at her side, with love and care trusting us all to God. Then she turned her head and slept in the Lord.
To Ponder:
- In Lent do you find praying, fasting and alms-giving helpful for reflecting on the mystery of Christ’s passion, suffering and death?
- What are other ways of marking Lent?
- Would offering care, like Jesus showed on the cross for his mother and disciple be part of Lent?
- Why do we say: 'God bless you'? Is it because we have done all that we could have?
Prayer
Caring God, fill our hearts with the love that we saw in Christ Jesus. May we care as he cared for those closest to him even when he was dying on the cross. Amen.