mothering sunday 2010
On this Mothering Sunday we give thanks for mothers – for our own, for those of other people, and for all who care for people as a good mother cares for her children, and today in the reading from the Book of Exodus (2:1-10) we have some wonderful examples of motherhood.
The story begins with the birth of the child who would become Moses – born to a Levite man and woman, he was born at a time when Pharaoh was getting rid of Hebrew children – there were too many Hebrews and they were rather problematical. Life at the time was a battle which could only be won by killing off the opposition, and in that way life was considered incredibly cheap.
The Levite woman knowing that the life of her child was in danger took a risk, trusting him to God’s care, hoping that something would happen that would save the boy’s life. It must have been the hardest decision of her life as she placed her child by the river – like most mother’s she must surely have had hopes for her child – she must have anticipated what her child would grow up to be.
With parallels of Mary as she watched Jesus growing – Moses mother knew that she must let her child go in order to allow him to fulfil whatever plan God may have for him. Moses’ mother took a huge sacrifice in order to offer her son the chance to fulfil the potential he had in life.
And when Pharaoh’s daughter saw the child, she immediately recognised him as one of the Hebrew children – unlike her father, she was moved by the baby and was not prepared to see his short life brought to an end. Just as Moses’ mother recognised the sacrifice she must make for her child, Pharaoh’s daughter also took a risk in arranging for the child to be cared for.
And in a twist of fate which would have been a feature of any sentimental novel, the nurse that Pharaoh’s daughter arranged for the child was the natural mother of Moses. She was given back her own child to bring up, but this time she had the assurance of the protection of the Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses would be brought up as a member of the family of the Pharaoh himself.
Moses was given a chance of life through the sacrifice and bravery of 2 women… as part of God’s plan each of us is given a chance of new life through the love of God the Father, through the sacrifice of Jesus the Son, and with the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us each day.
In the gospel we are taken from the new birth of Moses and his growing up, to the scene of Calvary generations later. Here on the cross as Jesus makes the ultimate sacrifice there is the incredibly personal scene as he notices his mother with his disciple John – for all of the incredible love of God for every one of us every moment of every day, Jesus endorsed the importance of human relationships as he recognises the need for people to support each other. He asks John to care for his mother, and his mother to care for John…
It is an incredibly moving scene as Jesus offers hope to his mother and to his disciple – they would never need to be alone, but together would continue to share the good news that Jesus, who died, would rise again, offering life to all.
Both Moses’ natural mother and Pharaoh’s daughter were touched by a feeling of care that would offer Moses a new life, a new chance – and the sacrifice and the risk they took for one child was similar to the sacrifice and the risk taken by Jesus for all people.
George Bernard Shaw played the "What If" game shortly before he died. "Mr. Shaw," asked a reporter, "if you could live your life over and be anybody you know, or any person from history, who would you be?"
"I would choose," replied Shaw "to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been, but never was." Jesus gave his life, so painfully on the cross because in each one of us he sees the potential to be his people – to be people who live the sort of lives described by Paul in his letter to the Colossians (3:12-17) – lives filled with compassion, kindness, meekness, humility and patience…
Paul talks of the love that can bind everything together – and that is the love which Jesus showed on the cross and which he shows today – a love that is unbreakable, a love that is unceasing.
In each one of us, regardless of what we have done or failed to do, God sees potential to be people of love… An interesting cartoon shows a young boy standing toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with his teacher. Behind them stares a blackboard covered with maths problems the boy hasn't finished. With rare perception the boy says, "I'm not an underachiever, you're an over-expecter!"
As God watches us sometimes, perhaps looking at us in despair, we may well turn to him at times and suggest the same, but God knows better – he knows what we can be and what we can fulfil - and he trusts us to be the people he wants us to be… And so may the peace of Christ rule in our hearts today and always. AMEN
The story begins with the birth of the child who would become Moses – born to a Levite man and woman, he was born at a time when Pharaoh was getting rid of Hebrew children – there were too many Hebrews and they were rather problematical. Life at the time was a battle which could only be won by killing off the opposition, and in that way life was considered incredibly cheap.
The Levite woman knowing that the life of her child was in danger took a risk, trusting him to God’s care, hoping that something would happen that would save the boy’s life. It must have been the hardest decision of her life as she placed her child by the river – like most mother’s she must surely have had hopes for her child – she must have anticipated what her child would grow up to be.
With parallels of Mary as she watched Jesus growing – Moses mother knew that she must let her child go in order to allow him to fulfil whatever plan God may have for him. Moses’ mother took a huge sacrifice in order to offer her son the chance to fulfil the potential he had in life.
And when Pharaoh’s daughter saw the child, she immediately recognised him as one of the Hebrew children – unlike her father, she was moved by the baby and was not prepared to see his short life brought to an end. Just as Moses’ mother recognised the sacrifice she must make for her child, Pharaoh’s daughter also took a risk in arranging for the child to be cared for.
And in a twist of fate which would have been a feature of any sentimental novel, the nurse that Pharaoh’s daughter arranged for the child was the natural mother of Moses. She was given back her own child to bring up, but this time she had the assurance of the protection of the Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses would be brought up as a member of the family of the Pharaoh himself.
Moses was given a chance of life through the sacrifice and bravery of 2 women… as part of God’s plan each of us is given a chance of new life through the love of God the Father, through the sacrifice of Jesus the Son, and with the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us each day.
In the gospel we are taken from the new birth of Moses and his growing up, to the scene of Calvary generations later. Here on the cross as Jesus makes the ultimate sacrifice there is the incredibly personal scene as he notices his mother with his disciple John – for all of the incredible love of God for every one of us every moment of every day, Jesus endorsed the importance of human relationships as he recognises the need for people to support each other. He asks John to care for his mother, and his mother to care for John…
It is an incredibly moving scene as Jesus offers hope to his mother and to his disciple – they would never need to be alone, but together would continue to share the good news that Jesus, who died, would rise again, offering life to all.
Both Moses’ natural mother and Pharaoh’s daughter were touched by a feeling of care that would offer Moses a new life, a new chance – and the sacrifice and the risk they took for one child was similar to the sacrifice and the risk taken by Jesus for all people.
George Bernard Shaw played the "What If" game shortly before he died. "Mr. Shaw," asked a reporter, "if you could live your life over and be anybody you know, or any person from history, who would you be?"
"I would choose," replied Shaw "to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been, but never was." Jesus gave his life, so painfully on the cross because in each one of us he sees the potential to be his people – to be people who live the sort of lives described by Paul in his letter to the Colossians (3:12-17) – lives filled with compassion, kindness, meekness, humility and patience…
Paul talks of the love that can bind everything together – and that is the love which Jesus showed on the cross and which he shows today – a love that is unbreakable, a love that is unceasing.
In each one of us, regardless of what we have done or failed to do, God sees potential to be people of love… An interesting cartoon shows a young boy standing toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with his teacher. Behind them stares a blackboard covered with maths problems the boy hasn't finished. With rare perception the boy says, "I'm not an underachiever, you're an over-expecter!"
As God watches us sometimes, perhaps looking at us in despair, we may well turn to him at times and suggest the same, but God knows better – he knows what we can be and what we can fulfil - and he trusts us to be the people he wants us to be… And so may the peace of Christ rule in our hearts today and always. AMEN
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