The history of Mother’s Day originated during the Middle Ages, the custom developed of allowing people who had moved away from where they grew up to come back to visit their home or ‘mother’ churches, and their mothers, on the fourth Sunday of the Christian festival of Lent.
At the time, it wasn’t uncommon for children to leave home to work when they were as young as 10 years old, so this was an opportunity for families to meet up again.
This became Mothering Sunday in Britain. As the dates of Lent vary each year, so does the date of Mothering Sunday.
Here are a few quotes about mothers from some very famous people. Rudyard Kipling said “God could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers” George Washington said of his mother “ My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral; intellectual and physical education I received from her”.
John Wesley said: “I learned more about Christianity from my mother than all the theologians in England”; Princess Diana said: “A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.”
Putting into words the love of a mother for her children seems almost impossible.
A mother loves her child selflessly, purely, with all of her being. There’s no talk of the child “deserving” her love – a mother loves regardless of what her children do or don’t do.
She loves her children simply because they are hers, a love like that is such a beautiful picture of God’s love for us. We don’t deserve God’s love because we sin, but God is so gracious and merciful, He loves us with an everlasting love that will not fail or fade away, and nothing or no one can separate us from His love. On this Mother’s Day let us remember the love our mothers show us and the love that God has for us too.
Isaiah 66 v 13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.
Anna
