♪A Note of Thanks ♪
“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5
This Sunday thousands of people across the United States will celebrate Mother’s Day by sending cards, taking loved ones to church and lunch, sending gifts and making calls home. In an article that Susan V. Bosak wrote she explains: “Many people may believe Mother’s Day was developed as a commercial holiday by Hallmark or some other company to sell cards, candy, and flowers, but the story of modern Mother’s Day begins in the peace movement and as a day recognizing women’s social action. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), a Boston writer and author of the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, first suggested a Mother’s Day in 1872, as a day dedicated to peace.
The official observance of Mother’s Day in its present form is credited to Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She wanted to honor the memory of her mother, Mrs. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, who died in 1905. The elder Mrs. Jarvis had organized several “Mothers Day Work Clubs” in the 1850s in the West Virginia area. At the beginning of the Civil War, Mrs. Jarvis called together four of her clubs and asked them to make a pledge that friendship and goodwill would not be a victim of the conflict between the states. In a display of compassion, courage, and friendship, the members of these clubs nursed soldiers from both sides and saved many lives. After the Civil War, Mrs. Jarvis worked as a peacemaker encouraging families to set aside differences created by the polarization of the war. Up until her own death, Anna continually referred to her mother as the real originator of Mother’s Day, despite the fact that it was Anna herself who worked tirelessly over several years to make it a national reality. It began in 1907 when Anna had a small gathering of friends in her home to commemorate her mother’s life. She announced the idea of a national day to honor mothers. It was a day to honor all mothers, and also a day to remember the work of peacemaking, reconciliation, and social action against poverty started by her mother.
Of course, long before our modern Mother’s Day, the apostle Paul noted the importance of mothers and grandmothers in his letter to his young disciple, Timothy. Paul notes that Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice had influenced Timothy’s sincere faith.
Perhaps it is time we take back the original understanding of Mother’s Day by honoring mothers who have influenced our faith and life, forgiving our mothers who have not been able to be the loving mothers we had hoped for, remembering mothers who have gone before us and now live eternally with God in the church triumphant. Let us use this day to call all people to action, to become peacemakers in our own day, bringing an end to enmity, illness and poverty. May it one day be written on us that because of the influence of our mothers, our sincere faith, our children, and our world are all the better.
One of my very dear friends, Jackie George, a mother of deep faith, who quietly and lovingly encourages others, recently mentioned to me a special tune, Londonderry Air. At first, I couldn’t think of the way the tune sounded, but then I remembered the song “O Danny Boy” and further as I pondered the tune, I remembered that Dottie Rambo had written words to this tune and named the song He Looked Beyond My Fault. For so many people who are facing difficulties in your lives, may the words of this song bless and enrich your life today and in the days to come.
He Looked Beyond My Fault
Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise,
For it was grace that brought my liberty;
I do not know just why He came to love me so,
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
Chorus
I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary,
To view the cross where Jesus died for me,
How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul;
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
-Dottie Rambo
Holy God, come to us this day and remind us that we, too, can be people who change the world, by sharing Your Grace, working for justice and creating peace, one act of love at a time. Amen.
Happy Mother’s Day!
I remain your friend…Mark David Jackson
