Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers here today. You know, there are two kinds of mothers, those who have given birth and those who have not, but both kinds are mothers indeed. As the great philosopher Oprah Winfrey said, “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”
I came across a wonderful poem written by a mother about being a mother, and so I’ve asked a mother to read it. It’s called “Before I was a Mom.”
Before I was a Mom
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
Before I was a Mom
I never thought about immunizations.
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Spit on.
Chewed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
Before I was a Mom
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
Before I was a Mom
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom
I never knew I would love being a Mom so much.
The love of a mother for her child is something very special and unique. It’s one of the most powerful things in the universe, a force of nature. It is, for many of us, the closest thing to God’s love. The English novelist Thackeray wrote: “Mother is the name for God on the lips and in the hearts of little children.” An old Jewish proverb says, “God couldn’t be everywhere, so he created mothers.”
This is also Catholic Charities weekend, part 1. Next weekend we’ll be taking up a collection for Catholic Charities, but we wanted to talk about it this weekend so that when the collection basket comes around next weekend, we’ll have had a chance to reflect on what it means, because it’s that important.
I think it is fitting to talk about Catholic Charities on this Mother’s Day weekend, because Catholic Charities has everything to do with a mother’s love, that most powerful of human forces on earth, that closest experience of God’s love. Because what Catholic Charities is all about is what all mothers want for their children.
As most of you know, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey is how our bishop leads us, the Church of Monterey, in reaching out to the poor and to those struggling in the four counties that make up our diocese. It is the way that we together as the Catholic Church of Monterey make sure that we are doing all of the motherly things – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, welcoming the stranger, caring for all of God’s children.
We call our Church “Mother Church” because “mother” is the best word that we have to express the compassion and caring love that flows through us from God to all people, to all people. And so, I’d like to ask you to think of everything that Catholic Charities does as the expression of a mother’s love for her children.
Catholic Charities served over 32,000 people last year. It has four main programs: family supportive services, mental health counseling, immigration and citizenship program, and the tattoo removal program. Let me give you a few examples of how lives are being served and saved with your support and prayers.
Linda has four children, abandoned by their father. She earns just under $11 an hour and can only work part time because she must care for her children in the afternoon. Even at full time, she would not earn enough to pay for child care. One of her children has a heart problem. But because Linda is not working full time, she has no health benefits. Without those benefits, she cannot afford the medical treatment her child needs, as she is barely making ends meet.
Linda is working, trying to care for her children, and is caught in a real bind. Catholic Charities stepped in to help with emergency funds, guidance in budgeting and seeking other sources of help, referrals to medical treatment for her daughter, and counseling to help Linda deal effectively with the difficulties of her life. Linda, giving a mother’s love to her children. Linda, a child of God, receiving Mother Church’s encouraging love.
Elena is an immigrant from Romania who married a US citizen. Her husband became abusive and threatened her with deportation, since she did not yet have permanent resident status. A friend brought her to Catholic Charities to seek sanctuary and help. Immigration and mental health counselors, provided by your support, explained her legal rights, based on the protection offered by the Violence Against Women Act. Catholic Charities helped her find shelter and then began petitioning her case with immigration. Elena, with broken dreams of becoming a mother. Elena, a child of God, receiving Mother Church’s comforting and protective love.
Joel is a young father with a beautiful wife and daughter. His daughter is receiving her First Communion this month in the Catholic Church. I visited with them at their home a couple of weeks ago. Joel shared that he would like to be baptized and share fully in Catholic life with his wife and daughter. I welcomed him into our RCIA process. But Joel was in the grip of fear. He also shared with me that he got involved in gang life when he was fifteen, and that he did many bad things which eventually led him to prison. He came to his senses and decided to turn away from the gang life and to turn to God. He got out of prison six months ago and is leading a new life. But he is scared to death. The pull of the old gang life is strong, and his gang tattoos make him a marked man in public. I was so happy to be able to tell him about Catholic Charities tattoo removal program. The look on his face when I told him that we would be able to help him get his tattoos removed was priceless. I gathered his family around him in prayer, and we claimed him for Jesus Christ, a beloved son of God and of Mother Church. The next day I called Maria at Catholic Charities and told her about Joel. She said that she would get him into the program right away. Joel, a child of God, receiving a Mother Church’s merciful love, a love full of second chances.
In today’s bulletin there is more information about how you can continue to support this wonderful work. For most of us, the best way to do that is through a monthly pledge. It works for us and it works for Catholic Charities. Our income is monthly and their expenses are monthly. I ask you to pray about what you would like to give. And remember, sacrificial giving is the best, most powerful, most Christ-like kind of giving. Sacrificial giving is where we give up something of what we want or need so that someone else can have what they need. It’s what mothers do all the time.
With your prayers and with your money, and in your name, Catholic Charities is not only serving over 32,000 people, it is literally saving lives. It is giving God’s children and our children what they need to pull their lives together so that they can become healthy, independent and contributing members of our communities. Catholic Charities is how we as Mother Church give a mother’s love to all God’s children.
Mother Church: Happy Mother’s Day!
