Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Children in the same family often feel that they are treated unequally. I know that personally. As the fifth of six children, my picture is never found in our family photo albums. The older family members all had names on their Christmas stockings; mine said nothing.  My father could look at me, and run down the list of all my siblings’ name before he got to mine.  Even my grandparents referred to me and my younger brother simply as “the little boys.”

Apparently my family wasn’t unique in overlooking the second, third and fourth born. Phillip Gulley in his little book Front Porch Tales captures this unequal tendency of doting parents. “When our first pregnancy test came up positive, I called a hundred of my closest friends. When our second pregnancy test turned pink, I called my therapist. When we were expecting our first child, we decided we wanted to have five children. Then our first child was born and we thought two children had a nice ring to it. When a first child drops his pacifier, we boil it for ten minutes. When the second child drops her pacifier, we tell the dog to fetch.  But “When I pray for my children at night, my affection for each is the same. I suspect that’s how God must feel too. For God, every child is a first born.”  Hopefully, that is how the mothers we honor this Mother’s Day remember their children.

Mother’s Day is not a church festival, but mothers and motherhood play an important role in the Bible and the history of the Church. Yes, from Adam and Eve to Mary and Joseph, from the Old Testament to the New, and even unto a grandmother named Lois and her daughter Eunice who taught the faith to their children in a hostile world, mothers are celebrated in scripture. Surprisingly, they are not honored for being perfect, nor are they remembered for being completely even-handed, nor cherished for treating the second and third born as equals with the first. No, these women’s lives, often marred by the struggles of this world and their own personal foibles, are remembered for their prayers, their sacrifice and their steadfast love.  Still, these mothers persevered to do the work God has called them to do.

For the vast majority of families today, their mother is a faithful, caring, loving person whose nurturing hand shapes and influences them for the rest of their lives- whether they were the first born or the first adopted. For some, motherhood is a natural task, and for others it is a labor for which they poorly suited. But for those strive to keep his commandments, God sends the encouragement and strength of his Holy Spirit.  That is what we will meditate upon this day.

At the last supper, as recorded in St. John’s gospel, after the disciples’ feet had been washed, and the betrayer Judas had left them, Jesus announced that he was leaving, and that that where he was going they could not come.  They were shocked and fearful. Yes, the very one for whom they had left everything had now said that he was leaving them.  It was no wonder that Thomas asked, “We do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” and the Philip challenged his master, “Show us the Father.”

Jesus knew and anticipated the disciples’ fears, and so he offered them his assurance, “Do not let your heart be troubled. I will not leave you orphaned. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth.”. Unfortunately, at that moment it was difficult for the disciples to understand what Jesus could mean.  Of course, the disciples are not alone. Mothers and fathers and children have been confused ever since. They seldom truly understand the work of the Holy Spirit.

We  are taught that the Holy Spirit gives evangelists and pastors the power to preach.  It is true. Unfortunately, I am reminded of the older pastor who was greeting folks at the door after service. A woman complimented him on her way out, “Oh, Pastor, that was a very good sermon.”  The pastor then responded, “Thank you, ma’am, but you’ll have to give the credit to the Holy Spirit.”  The woman lifted up her nose and huffed, “Well, it wasn’t that good.”

We are taught that the Holy Spirit gives voice to our inner thoughts.  Apparently it didn’t help the young pastor who was preaching for the first time.  He stood before the people speechless as several moments passed. At last, opening his mouth, he slowly began to speak, “On the way here this morning, the Holy Spirit and I knew what I was to share with you today…and now only the Holy Spirit knows.”  Maybe as one critic joked, that’s why churches serve coffee after worship.  It’s to make sure the parishioners are fully awake before driving home.

We are taught  that the Holy Spirit gives us direction.  Well even the great evangelist Billy Graham tells of a time during the early years of his preaching ministry, when he was due to lead a crusade meeting in a town in South Carolina, and he needed to mail a letter. He asked a little boy in the main street how he could get to the post office. After the boy had given him directions, Graham said, “If you come to the central Baptist church tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to heaven.” The boy replied, “No thanks, you don’t even know how to get to the post office!”

Truthfully, the Holy Spirit does all of these things and so much more.  But the most important work of the Holy Spirit is to make everyday believers into instruments of God’s grace and mercy. That is the gift we celebrate in the witness of mothers today.

Now as much as the history of the church has been dominated men as[pastors and priests, the commandment to teach the faith in the home and to tell the old, of old story of Jesus and his love, has primarily been an important task for mothers and grandmothers, aunts and godmothers. It is often why we never forget them or their memory.  In those difficult hours of the night, we remember their voices as the mentors who offered the assurance of God’s presence in our lives.  We remember their faith when all seemed lost, and we remember their strength when we were ready to give in.

To be sure there are seasons of life, when tragedies leave us all feeling as orphans. Anyone who has ever  lost – a spouse, a child, a mother or a father, someone  you loved, or someone who loved you, you will know the orphan’s questions.  Oh, God. How can I move on?    But just as Jesus said these words to his disciples at his Last Supper he says these words to you and to me, “I will not leave you orphaned.”  My friends, that is his promise to you. Regardless of the circumstances of your life, whether you are the first or the second born, whether you find yourself in the midst of storms, death or separation, you will not be orphaned by God.  You may not see Christ or your loved one for a little while. But you will see them again.  That is Christ’s ultimate word of comfort to those who feel as orphans. “Because I live, you will live also.”  For those mothers, grandmothers, step mothers, godmothers, aunts or friends, who shared that promise with, that is the mothering voice we celebrate and honor this Mother’s Day.

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, “I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars.”  The man smiled and said, “Come on in with me. I’ll buy you a rose.” He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother’s flowers. As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home. She said, “Yes, please! You can take me to my mother.” She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.  The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother’s house.

My friends, when caring for your family, you may wonder whether you are having any impact at all. Yes, you may struggle and grow weary. For God never leave you an orphan  But be assured, that if you strive to keep God’s commandments, he will send the Holy Spirit upon you that will make you his instrument of peace. And finally, remember at night in your prayers, that your affection for each child be the same- even the fifth. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.