Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you – be with us now as we are gathered together to share your Word. Amen.
This year Mothering Sunday falls very close to International Women’s Day which every year is on the 8th March.
In Peterborough, the City Council profiled some leading women from across various sectors of the city including our brand new Bishop – Bishop Debbie – the 39th Bishop of Peterborough and of course the first woman to do so.
Its great to celebrate women and our achievements – but the aim of IWD is not to swing any pendulum to make up for years when women didn’t get a look in, rather to help us create together a world of gender equality – free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination – where difference is valued and celebrated – all this is inclusivity and is what as an Inclusive Church – we aim to be.
IWD belongs to everyone – and in just the same way – so does Mothering Sunday.
Mothering Sunday is not just for mothers! But it is good that it gives us a special way of giving thanks for those who mother us: those we were born to, and those who love and care for us in all kinds of ways.
We give thanks too for our Mother Church, as you probably know, it was traditionally the day that everyone would return home to their family and return to the church where they were baptized and began their journey of faith.
It’s a day to give thanks also for the Mother Church of our Diocese – the Cathedral, and to give thanks for our new Mother-in-God, Bishop Debbie.
All this reminds us of the people and places that are important in giving us life, in helping us grow up and helping shape us and our faith.
And today we also think of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Mary, who is mother to us all.
In the reading from John’s Gospel we see Mary, standing at the foot of the cross – how sad must Mary have been as she watched Jesus suffering there – and yet how strong her love that she is there with him.
We see her high up on the Rood Screen in St John’s – where that moment is shown in carved and painted wood – and yet capturing the sorrow of both Mary and Jesus’ dear friends and disciple, John. Jesus, in love for them both, asks them to care for one another after his death. And John takes Mary into his own home from that moment on.
Its family life as we all know it – joy and sorrow – birth and death – caring for each other in our times of need.
And this is the whole theme of today – caring for each other and living together in love – it’s there in that wonderful reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians:
‘As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.’
We are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved. Wow! That’s really rather wonderful isn’t it?
Chosen, holy, beloved…
That is, if you like, God’s gift to us – we receive this from God. But there is something we are asked to do in return.
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.
And so every day we get up, and put on these qualities like clothes; compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience
What do those clothes look like, I wonder?
A coat of compassion perhaps? A Kilt of Kindness? A hat of humility? Mittens of meekness? Pyjamas of patience?
You might think of other clothes to illustrate these, but maybe to think of these qualities as colours is more helpful.
Compassion – might be crimson or cherry, Kindness – King’s yellow or khaki, Humility -heliotrope or hyacinth, Meekness, mauve or magenta, Patience – pink or purple.
We can imagine perhaps pulling on a scarf or shawl or cloak of these colours to remind us to behave these ways to others.
But there’s more, because Paul goes on to say that we must:
‘Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.’
Bear with one another – another word for that might be tolerance – which could be the colour turquoise. And forgive each other – maybe fern green is the colour of forgiveness.
When we behave like this with one another it makes for a happier family life and for a happier world – we need these qualities so much right now in our world for sure.
When we look at all these colours together – well we have a rainbow –
‘Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.’
The rainbow of colour reminds us that love is the gift of God to us that helps us live together in perfect harmony with one another and with our world.
‘And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts and be thankful.’
So today especially we give thanks to God who cares for us as a mother, carrying us in tender love and comforting us in our sorrows. In God’s presence we may be at peace, like a child held safe in loving arms.
And today we give thanks for mothers and carers everywhere, for the love they give us.
We thank God that we are chosen, holy and beloved, and pray that each day we may live in thankfulness, and in the perfect harmony of love – the rainbow of God’s promise of love to us for all time. Amen.
Service: Reverend Michelle Dalliston. 10th March 2024. (St John’s Church Peterborough UK)
Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, John 19:25b-27