Mother: The sanctuary of love

A mother plays a critical role in our miracle of life because God knits us in our mother’s womb.

A mother’s love begins when the unborn child grows in the womb and draws nutrients from her for weeks. She continues to nurture her child from birth till death because motherhood is for life.

A good mother provides the basic needs of her child. She teaches honesty and gives domestic care.  She is kind, and patient and does not seek her own but sacrifices even at the risk of her life for her children.

A good mother opens her mouth with wisdom and fruitful instruction. She watches over her household and has amazing compassion never forgetting her children. Mother Theresa says ‘a mother’s love is in action.

She loves with her heart and feels through her eyes. She is the family deposit for anger, conflicts and hurt. She is the cement that keeps her family together and her love lasts a lifetime.

The Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary defines sanctuary as ‘refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution or other dangers’. Nothing fits better than a mother.
                                                         

How Mother’s Day began

Modern-day celebration of Mother’s Day is attributed to Annier Javis, who in 1908 organised a memorial service for her late mother. The fact, however, is that Mother’s Day celebration started in the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages when Catholics who worked outside their hometown were permitted to visit their churches and mothers during a period in May each year, usually on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

The men usually picked flowers from the verges along the way and left them in the Church or gave them to their mothers. Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated almost everywhere in the world and many have different ways of celebrating the occasion.

Some ways of celebrating Mother’s Day

Make time for your mother to reconnect with her: Walk through your journey of life. Talk about your past, present and future. Talk about your strengths, opportunities and threats, and resolve to stay strong as a family.

Send gifts you can afford: It is not how expensive the item is but the intention behind it. The best gift you could offer is to live a lifestyle your mother loves. Resolve to do your best in every area of your life, especially to be more committed to your faith. Many clients have been motivated to give some bad habits to honour their mothers.

Pray for your mother that God gives her the grace to stand strong in motherhood: If she has offended you in any way, this is an opportune time to forgive her. The fact is there are good mothers and bad mothers.

If your mother wasn’t there for you and you still made it then thank God because her neglect made you stronger and wiser to fight on. No matter what your mother has done for you.

God commands you to forgive her. Otherwise, God will not forgive you (Mt. 6;12). Keeping the hurts of a mother clouds your mind from the beauty of love as Christ loved us. Forgive whatever grievances you have against each other. Forgive your mother as God forgives you.
                                         

Mother, the sanctuary of love

No one forgets the love shown by her mother – the sleepless nights and entering our doors when everyone is leaving. In Ghana, we know countless cases of mothers selling their properties to send their children to school when fathers who may be rich spend their money on frivolous matters.

 No wonder we read many quotes on mothers as pillars of love;

• God couldn’t be everywhere and therefore He made mothers (Rudyard Kipling).
• A good mother is irreplaceable (Adriana Tinges).              
• Mother is the name of God on the lips of little children (William Thackeray) 
• If love is as sweet as a flower my mother is that sweet flower (Steve Wadel).
• We are born of love. Love is our mother (Rumi)

Pope John Paul says the family is a sanitary of love, a place where life is nurtured and protected. The keeper of the sanctuary is the mother (Boakye)

As we celebrate Mother's Day, let us support mothers because it is their love and care that sustain humanity. Donna Ball says motherhood is a choice you make every day to put someone’s happiness and well-being ahead of yours.

A mother is indeed the foundation of love and since it takes fathers and children to be mothers, a celebration of Mother’s Day is a celebration of humanity and we must all join in the celebration because we become what we celebrate. Happy Mother’s Day!

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