We would first like to give thanks to God for all of the mothers. Today is Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom and so we give thanks to God for all of the wonderful mothers. God bless you all!
Why is today known as Mothering Sunday? Today is known as Mothering Sunday because the epistle from Galatians refers to Jerusalem as being the “mother of us all.” Our epistle makes reference to two different mothers who each had a son: Isaac and Ishmael. As we know, Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah; Ishmael on the other hand was the son of the bondwoman, Hagar.
We remember the history of both of these women as they were quite intertwined. Hagar was the servant of Sarah. God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they could wait no longer. Sarah told Abraham that he could have a child with Hagar. Ishmael would become the father of the religion known today as Islam.
This story could be seen as a lesson for all of us. What happens when we do not wait on God or we try to do something that is outside of God’ s will for us? We could even be commiting a sin like Abraham and Sarah did here. As human beings, we often say “the ends justify the means.” I am sure that each of us has heard this famous line. We do things because it is easy for us. It offers us the instant gratifiation. We do not want to wait. Lent is difficult for us because it causes us to have to wait. If we take matters into our own hands, we can make things more “dicey.” God has a plan for each of us. We must wait on God. If we do things in our own ways, it might produce something. However, is it what is best? Will it hurt other people? Ishamel and Hagar were both sent away. Was this what was best? Ishamael would never see his father again. Ishamael would father a nation that would remember this day. Sure, Abraham had a son. However, the price was steep. We do not see these things. However, God sees it and there is a reason God has us wait.
As you continue on your Lenten journey, I invite you to consider something. Are we waiting on God or are we just doing what we think is best? Will that action give me what I want or what I need? Prayer is at the core of that we do. I invite you to join me in prayer as we discern what God wants for us as a church and also as individuals. May His will be done in our lives.
Happy Mothering Sunday!
In Christ,
Fr. Brandon Cribbs
Recent Comments