World changes, but mother’s love doesn’t
Scripture reading: Genesis 21:9-21. Text of meditation: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John 19:25-27. On Mother’s Day we wish to do more than just praise our mother; we also wish to get closer to the secret of mothers’ inexhaustible love. I am not a scientist of human behavior and do not promise a scientific analysis of a mother’s heart, as a pastor, who deals with family life, I hope to unfold some of those noble traits of the mothers that have been blessings since the beginning of mankind.
In the Scripture reading we learn about Abraham’s second wife, Hagar, who was chased away together with her son Ishmael. In the desert her son almost died of thirst, and the mother was ready to give up when the divine grace saved both of them. In our text, another suffering mother is mentioned: Mary, our Lord’s mother. Jesus, on the cross, had felt that it was his obligation to provide for his mother.
Since these stories, the MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP has hardly changed; love, devotion, and care have remained the same. The mother is still willing to do everything for the sake of her child or children.
NO DEPERSONALIZATION. What do we experience today? With a population explosion and advanced technology, a slow DEPERSONALIZATION has taken place. For instance, a Social Security number instead of a name. Call a company and a machine answers telling us to push this or that number. It has a triple effect on us: 1. When we serve the people, we wish to serve as many as possible during the shortest time. 2. When we are served, we expect undivided attention and individual treatment. 3. The unfriendly answers show no concern, such as: “Nobody cares anymore.’ But on the other hand: “Mind your own business” and “Leave me alone.”
However, concerning a mother, regardless how many children she has, for her there is no depersonalization, no unified treatment and no uniform expectation. She takes each of her children as a precious gift, a promising rosebud, a bundle of love who can grow and become a nice lady or a kind gentleman only if she does her best for each of her children and pays attention to them individually.
THERE IS NO SHORTCUT IN REARING CHILDREN.
Now it takes less time to cook a dinner and build a house for we enjoy the scientifically advanced shorter method and improved procedures. However, to raise a child still takes the same time, effort, devotion and sacrifice as it did before. Children can enjoy more, but the motherly care cannot be shortchanged or mechanized.
NO SHORT-TERM COMMITMENT
Many of us live from payday to payday, and also several people today do not have a long-range project. We wish to survive each month and each year, but often we do not see the entire life span. We are not only the FAST-MOVING GENERATION, but also the SHORT-TERM GENERATION. Is not the “immediate delivery” an incentive to place an order? Do not we like to use these four letters ASAP? That is, as soon as possible.
The mothers know it well how many years of service is ahead of them before their loving care will come to fruition. They know if they give up hope and sacrifices, they have also given up the possibility for their children to have a better future.
The triple secret and blessing of motherhood are: her HEART, because it does not accept any depersonalization; her SERVICE and care, because she offers them without any shortcut; and her COMMITMENT, because she still works and loves on the basis of the entire life of her children. What would happen to this sophisticated and broad-minded world without the old-fashioned and unchanged motherly love, care and sacrifice?
The greatest word is GOD – The deepest word is SOUL – The longest word is ETERNITY – The swiftest word is TIME – The nearest words is NOW – The darkest words is SIN – The meanest words is HYPOCRISY – The broadest word is TRUTH – The strongest word is RIGHT – The tenderest word is LOVE – The sweetest word is HOME – and The dearest word is MOTHER.
May our heavenly Father richly bless our dear mother who has done so much for her child/ren and indirectly to our society. If she passed away, may she rest in peace.
The Rev. Alexander Jalso is a retired United Presbyterian minister living in Brownsville.