Preacher: Canon Graham
Date: 22/03/2020
Mothering Sunday
Wow!! What a difference a week makes! Here we are still gathering to worship, but in a totally different way. Yes: I miss seeing the familiar faces. However with technology, we can share together safely, and really enjoy this Mothering Sunday each in our own home. I am trying to picture some of you now, reclining back in your armchairs, the smell of coffee, and some of our families using the resources via the web www.cirenparish.co.uk that Fiona and Lauren have made available for our Junior Church families!
It’s a great picture, and I want us to hold this in our hearts and minds as we go forward being God’s church in a different, but exciting way.
Things will be very different for a considerable number of weeks, and our shared worship via the website will I hope help to hold our church families together, and create a real sense of belonging.
This morning’s Gospel reading possibly resonates with all of us, given these unpredictable times. Simeon’s greeting to Mary and Joseph and what he was saying surprised them….
“This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
We all recognise that family life has its moments, and at times presents us with a number of challenges; it’s not always easy. As for Mary: what was she to make of Simeon’s comment?
We can read the Gospel with the knowledge of what is to come; and the events that surround Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. Simeon’s hope had been realised, he not only recognised the importance of the child Jesus, but he knew that this was God’s way of showing his unconditional love to the world in which we live. That unconditional love being played out through the relationship of Mother and Child. That relationship that we can all have with God, through Jesus.
Today as we gather our thoughts around this great theme of love, in and through our family relations, indeed giving thanks for family life, we also ponder what this might mean for us as a church.
Obviously today we are not limited by the size of the building, and anyway we know in our hearts that the church is not the building, it is the people, and indeed the only limit we have is our own horizon and perception of where, and how God fits into our world.
Those perceptions will now be challenged as we explore new ways of being His church, new ways of expressing our love for Him in and through each other.
This last week we have seen fantastic examples of generous love, genuine love where people have put aside their own needs for the sake of others. We have also seen some pretty ‘selfish deeds’ as people stockpile provisions unnecessarily, contributing to the emptying of our supermarket shelves.
Maybe just maybe we have all taken this generous love for granted.
Maybe the time that is now enforced upon us can be used as a time of reflection as we take stock of the things we in our own lives, and within the context of own families, and also within the context of our church family perhaps need to change?
These very values, I believe Mary understood, she pondered them in her heart and she carried them as a Mum all the way to the cross.
So you young people sharing in our service today, how are you going to make a difference? I hope you have spoilt your mums (and dads for that matter) and made today very special.
For all of us young and older, we acknowledge our own Mums, as we say thank you for those moments of ‘selflessness’, and for all that builds our family both at home, and in our church life.
Had we met together physically in the church buildings we would have shared posies of flowers, in recognition of all that we appreciate on this Mothering Sunday.
I finish by quoting some words from Fred Kaan’s hymn…
God of Eve and God of Mary,
God of love and mother-earth,
thank you for the ones who with us
shared their life and gave us birth.
Thank you for belonging, shelter,
bonds of friendship, ties of blood,
and for those who have no children,
yet are parents under God.
God of Eve and God of Mary,
Christ our brother, human Son,
Spirit, caring like a Mother,
take our love and make us one!
Amen.