This Sunday we celebrate the gift of motherhood and those women in our lives who love, inspire and bless us in a motherly way. In our Catholic tradition, there are many women who model God’s love and call us to God’s loving presence in our world. Naturally, we think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who in the annunciation responds to God, with joy and awareness of her part in the future incarnation.
In our Mercy story, we recall how in 1829, Catherine McAuley become the legal guardian and mother to nine children, including her five nieces and nephews following the death of her sister, the two Burn children and two orphans from Coolock, all of whom she welcomed and loved. This was before she opened her House of Mercy on Baggot Street.
We invite you to give thanks to God for either your gift of Motherhood, or for those people in your lives who gift you, and we pray…
Good and Gentle God,
We pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women of history who have joined with you in the wonder of bringing forth new life. You who became human through a woman, grant to all mothers the courage they need to face the uncertain future that life with children often brings.
Give them the strength to live and to be loved in return, not perfectly, but humanly.
Give them the faithful support of partners, family and friends as they care for the physical and spiritual growth of their children.
Give them joy and delight in their children to sustain them through the trials of motherhood. Most of all, give them the wisdom to turn to you for help when they need it most. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.