Although there isn’t anything particularly sacred or holy about Mother’s Day (after all, it has more of a sentimental context than anything else) there is nonetheless something sacred and holy about what is being highlighted: mothers! Indeed, having a day set aside specifically to appreciate and fawn over our mothers is a nice – and alas, sometimes a necessary – reminder for everyone, to recognise the work and love offered by our mothers, and to express our gratitude to them. Of course we should certainly do this all the time, as their important contributions and offerings affect our every day of our life – as witnessed in our very existence!
While the Orthodox Church doesn’t have a specific feast day for “mothers” (although there are feast days, commemorations and saints’ days that could easily serve as a kind of liturgical Mother’s Day), there is nonetheless a remarkably strong daily recognition and expression of gratitude for mothers through our liturgical and prayerful commemoration of the Most Holy Theotokos (literally “birth-giver of God” in Greek) and ever virgin Mary. One could ask what connects and elevates Mary as a touchstone and icon of motherhood? Well, beyond the obvious and universally shared elements of motherhood – conceiving, bearing, and birthing life – she is the mother of God, the Divine Logos, and second person of the Holy Trinity – Jesus Christ.
The connection between Mary and the incarnate God is straightforward enough and of profound relevance. The Lord assumes Mary’s (and our) humanity; being truly the “Son of God,” He is also truly the “Son of Man”. Yet, the fact that this wonder is accomplished through the most instinctive and primal of all human relationships – that of a mother and child – it conveys a greater insight into God’s saving work through something that is wholly universal and yet profoundly personal – motherhood.
He who is the uncontainable and eternal source of life, is conceived and given life, deweling in His mother’s womb. “The image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15) is revealed to the world as an infant in swaddling clothes. He who feeds us with “the food which endures to everlasting life” (Jn. 6:27) nursed from His mother’s breasts. He, who is love Himself (1 Jn. 4:80) is held lovingly in His mother’s arms.
To be sure, there is only one Theotokos and ever virgin Mary; and although these expressed paradoxes are truly singular and unique, we should not dismiss the importance and context of what Mary offers to creation as being herself a mother. Indeed, our mothers conceived and gave each of us life with love, that we can conceive the Lord in our hearts by the grace of the Holy Spirit and cry out “Abba Father” (Gal 4:6). Our mothers swaddled each of us, with love, so that we can be wrapped in the “garment of salvation and a robe of gladness” (Is. 61:10), having “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27) in baptism. Our mothers nursed and fed each of us with love, so that we can eat the “living bread which came down from heaven” (Jn.6:51). Our mothers love us each of us unconditionally, that we can know the transcendent and redemptive love of God, freely offered to us even “while we are still sinners” (Rm. 5:8. 5:8). To be sure they are those tragic relationships where mothers are anything but loving. Yet even in the face of such a distortion, the notion of what a mother’s love should be like, shines with greater clarity as an unchanging principle.
Throughout our services, many prayers and hymns are offered to the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Each and every prayer and hymn recognises her work, intercession, consolation, protection and love for us – all perfected in the divine love of her son and our God. With each prayer, there is an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving for “life of lives” bestowed upon us through her son and our God. The blessing and wonder is that all of motherhood is exalted with her in these prayers and hymns – as a kind of everlasting “Mother’s Day” commemoration repeated over and over again. For every person born, encounters, engages, meets, and discovers that which is sacred and holy: a loving God revealed “in the fullness of time” in the most instinctive and primal of all human relationships – that of a mother and child. How can we fail to recognise the work and love of our mothers, and to express our gratitude to them, while commemorating the Mother of God, the Theotokos, on Mother’s Day, and every other day in our lives?
May the Lord grant blessed repose and eternal rest to all our departed foremothers, grandmothers, mothers, and spiritual mothers.
May the Lord grant many blessed years, health and salvation to our great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers and spiritual mothers.