05/10/2026
A Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers! 💐💗
MOTHER'S DAY...God has a way of choosing the right person for the hardest tasks, and very often, He chooses a woman. Would anyone here really disagree that most of us men could not handle childbirth? Let’s be honest—we don’t do very well even with a bad cold. And yet, God entrusts to mothers not only the bearing of life, but the raising of it: the sleepless nights, the constant worry, the sacrifices seen and unseen.
Whenever something truly important needs to be done—in a parish, in a family, in the world—you begin to notice a pattern. You want something done in a parish… send in the sisters. You want something done for the good of the world… send in the mothers. There is a strength there, a constancy, a quiet determination that simply carries things through.
Even on the greatest day in all of history, the day of the Resurrection, our Lord did something that reveals this truth. When He rose from the dead, He did not first appear to the powerful or even to the apostles. He appeared to the women who came in love and fidelity to care for His body. And He said to them, “Go… tell the apostles that the Lord is risen and will meet them.” Why did He entrust that mission to them? Because He knew they would do it. There would be no hesitation, no debate—they would go. Even if they got lost along the way, they would ask for directions… unlike some of us.
Scripture again and again shows us the strength and faith of a mother. Think of Hannah, who longed for a child and prayed with all her heart. When God blessed her with a son, Samuel, she did something extraordinary—she entrusted him back to the Lord. She gave her child over to God’s service, not out of loss, but out of faith. Or think most perfectly of Mary, the Mother of God. She said “yes” to God without fully knowing what it would cost her. From the manger to the cross, she carried a love that endured suffering, uncertainty, and sorrow. That is the heart of a mother—faithful, steadfast, willing to give everything.
It has often been said that behind every great man there is a great woman, and today we can sum that up in one beautiful word: mother.
Mothers are always there. I remember coming home from school, running into the house and shouting, “Mom, I’m home!” And somewhere, from upstairs or downstairs or the kitchen, I would hear her voice: “I’m up here!” or “I’m down here!” She was always there. And if she wasn’t, there would be a note on the kitchen table, letting me know where she had gone—but more importantly, letting me know that there were cookies or something homemade waiting for me, along with a glass of milk. That was Mom.
I remember the nights of childhood fears and nightmares, asking if I could sleep in her bed. She might have hesitated for a moment, but she always made room. And I remember being outside playing, hearing her call from the window, “Michael, time to come home!”—and of course, “Just a minute, Mom,” which usually stretched into thirty. Until she reappeared, a little more insistent that this time, she really meant it.
We also have to acknowledge something about the world we live in today. In many ways, it has become a culture that sometimes derides motherhood—minimizes it, redefines it, or treats it as something less than the sacred calling it truly is.
And yet, there is a deep irony here.
Those who dismiss motherhood, those who undervalue it, even those who seek to dismantle the idea of the family itself, would not exist at all were it not for a mother. Each one was carried, nurtured, and brought into this world through the very reality they now question.
Isn’t that ironic?
The truth is, motherhood is neither outdated nor accidental. It is part of God’s design, written into the very fabric of our humanity. And no matter how much the world may try to diminish it, motherhood remains one of the most powerful, life-giving, and irreplaceable gifts God has given to us.
We all have memories like these. Whether our mothers are still with us or have gone home to the Lord, those memories stay with us. And today is a day to cherish them—the good ones especially—and to let go of whatever hurts may remain. After all, none of us came into this world with instructions, and neither did our mothers. They did the best they could with what they had. And even when they fell short, as all of us do, we are called to forgive, because that is what God asks of us.
So today we say thank you. Thank you to our mothers for the sacrifices we saw and the many we never did. Thank you for a love that never gave up, for prayers that never stopped, for a faith that carried us when we could not carry ourselves. Motherhood is not just a role; it is a gift from God to all of humanity. You give life, you nurture it, you worry over it, you grieve for it, and you never stop loving it.
And for that, we love you.
May God bless all mothers—those with us today and those who now rest in His eternal embrace. Happy Mother’s Day.
ABOUT THE ICON:
The Byzantine icon Our Lady of Perpetual Help portrays the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus, who clings to her in fear as he looks upon the instruments of his future Passion held by the archangels. A touching detail shows one of his sandals slipping off, suggesting he has run in haste to his Mother's safety. Mary’s steady gaze toward the viewer invites trust, revealing her as a constant source of comfort and intercession. In her tenderness, strength, and unwavering presence, she presents the image of the perfect Mother—one all women may look to with inspiration, especially as we honor motherhood on Mother’s Day.
