I was barely seventeen. Leaving home to go the seminary was the most difficult call I answered. This decision was even more difficult because, for the first time, I would not see my family for two long years. My mother and I suffered the most. My mother was very proud and supportive of my decision, but it was also as if she was losing her son. My parents came with me to Bangalore (about 850 miles my home) to drop me off. They stayed with me a few days and then the day came for them to return home. 

That morning we attended Mass at the chapel in the seminary. When everybody had left the chapel, my dad, mom and I remained in the chapel. We were all choking. I guess each of us was still pondering what all this meant. Hanging on the wall of the chapel was a picture of the Mother of Perpetual Help. The legend behind the picture is that as a little child, Jesus had a vision of his impending passion and death. In fear he ran into his mother who picked him up to console him. In the picture, this is symbolized by Jesus’ falling sandals. Perhaps my mother sensed my apprehensions. She took me in front of the picture of the Mother of Perpetual Help. We stood there is stunned silence. None of us could say a word without bursting into tears. And then, gathering the courage only a mother can, she said to me, “Thus far I have been your mother.” And then pointing to Mary she said, “From now on, SHE is your mother.” 

I am recounting this story because today is Mother’s Day. I want to honor Mary, my spiritual mother; Licy, my 86-year-old mother in India; and all you mothers present here. Allow me to say three things about mothers and motherhood.

 God is called “Father” but is like a “Mother”

In my personal prayer, I often think of God as a mother. There are numerous passages in the Bible that refer to the motherly qualities of God. Because of this, I believe that a woman has the privilege to participate in the divine life in a very unique way. Only a mother creates, bears, and nurtures life like God does. This privilege is God’s gift to women. 

Unfortunately, for centuries we assigned woman a lower status simply because of gender. Even today the statistics are alarming: Nearly one in five women in the United States has been sexually assaulted in their lifetime, according to a Jan. 21, 2014 report from the White House Council on Women and Girls. This number increases to 1 in three women in the Hispanic community. The statistics on sexual assault in our colleges is shocking. Just in the United States 4 million women are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners each year. Violence by an intimate partner accounts for about 21% of violent crime experienced by women, most of whom are mothers. 

If women share the privilege of participating in the divine life in a very unique way as mothers, then as Catholics we must hold our mothers in great awe and reverence. As this Catholic community we must honor women and mothers because even though we call God “Father,” God is like our mother.    

Motherhood is Holy

From a Christian perspective, motherhood assumes an even greater dignity because of the incarnation. Among all the options God had, God came to us through a woman. God chose motherhood as a means through which Jesus would be present to us. This makes motherhood the most holy vocation. Those of you who are mothers here today, may I suggest that first, you become aware of the sacred dignity of your motherhood and thank God for it. I also suggest to you that very intentionally and consciously and humbly claim that sacred dignity. 

Second, whenever you struggle with the demands of motherhood, whenever you find that gratitude is hard to come by, whenever your motherhood is undervalued, or when you find that your role in the home or society is overlooked, remember that God chose to come into the world through someone like you. Claim the holiness of this calling, this vocation. Remember that motherhood is a lot of work because holiness is a lot of work. 

Motherhood – An Awesome responsibility

When I think of mothers, I think of Mary and her relationship with Jesus. I think of how she conceived him, nurtured him in the womb, gave birth to him under extraordinary circumstances and fled to save his life. I think how she brought him to the temple for purification, of how she went each year to Jerusalem for the Passover, how she fretted when she lost him and rejoiced when she found him. I think of how she asked her Son to help other people at Cana and I think of how she stood by him at the foot of the cross. Motherhood is an awesome responsibility. Today, I am who I am because my mother fulfilled her awesome responsibility. Today, I dedicate my priesthood to my mother and to Mary to whom she entrusted me.  As a son, want to honor God who is like a mother, Mary who is our spiritual mother, my own mother in India and all of you mothers. Thank you for being who you are. 

- Fr. Satish Joseph