Mother's Day

26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
John 19:26-27


Every time I read this passage, I get tears in my eyes. Here is Jesus, on the cross, dying an agonizing death, and He is still taking care of those whom He loves. For His mother, Jesus shows His concern by finding her a surrogate son – someone who will look after her needs into her old age. For His beloved disciple, Jesus finds him a surrogate mother – someone to look after him until his old age. No matter who we are, we all need a mother.

My own mother was taken from me when I was five by an insidious and cruel mental illness. This is not something I talk about often – not because I am ashamed, but more because of the fact that at the age of five I was too young to process it. All I know is that I got off the school bus from Kindergarten that day and waited at the bus stop for my mother to take me home. Though I knew the way home, I was told to never leave until she arrived. Strangers who knew that I was too young to be standing by myself offered to take me home, but I told them no, and I waited. She never did come for me. A friend’s mother finally came and took me to her house to wait for my Dad.

All I ever knew as a kid was that my mom had gone to a hospital because she was sick. I missed her a great deal, but I was not alone. God provided my grandmother to look after me. She loved all her grandkids. I would come over to her house after school every day. Whenever there was a parade or a show at grade school, my grandmother would be there. She loved me every moment and was stern when she needed to be. She was my second Mom.

Anyone who has ever had Cindy Young as a teacher knows what a magical spell she weaves with children. When she was in charge of Baby Land on Sunday’s, all the kids would want to be in there with her because she was so much fun. My brother, sister and I adopted Cindy as our new Mom. She came over and took up residence in our hearts and home. She was everything a Mom was supposed to be – loving, disciplined, smart, and a dispenser of bad advice for kids with schoolboy crushes. Much of what I am today, Cindy shaped. She was my third Mom.

But Jesus was not done with His generosity.

As Lakeside had been good enough to provide one mother, why not a few more? When I was in Junior High, Lila Bennett came and took over as a youth leader. She taught me cooking and the importance of giving back to the community. She was a spiritual leader as well as a mother. And we were all her kids. She was Mom #4. Then there was Alice Bullock, who mothered all of us. Mom #5. And Janet Lehman and her excellent cooking. Mom #6. And Judy Murio and Judy Ott and Donna Rae Wickstrom and Jeanne Anberg and Nancy Andre and Lian Lie and Ann Colvin and Pat Snyder and Cheryl Lamb and Janice Petty and Gloria Weis and Elaine Padian and dozens and dozens of others. You all know who you are. And you all know what you did.

Some may look at the passage and say that Jesus was most concerned about providing for His mother when He was gone, but I see it as a way for providing for His brother. Many mothers can’t replace the one who gave you birth, but they can ease the pain of loss sometimes, and keep you out of trouble at other times, and show you the way when you are lost, and encourage you and give you a kind word and provide you with wisdom when you need it most. How can more mothers be a bad thing?

My Mom is now recovered from her illness and I am happy to have her back in my life. Though my grandmother passed on when I was in high school, her spirit still lives on in my sister and my niece and nephew. I am surrounded by love and by mothers who have provided that love. When Jesus said to me, “Will, here is your mother,” I was forever blessed.

Happy Mother’s Day to all my mothers!