This feels as strange to me as I am sure it might to you. I am not used to trying to prepare worship on a blog – a reflection, music and some prayers. So we learn and share together and above all find God as we are.
Listen to this stirring hymn as we relax and calm ourselves, remembering we are in God’s presence.
Let us pray,
Let us praise God for his generosity to each and every one of us.
Let us thank God for our world, for the beauty which lies around us, for our families, friends and Church.
Mothering Sunday
Collect for this Sunday and the week ahead.
God of Compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
John 19:25-27 New Revised Standard Version
25 And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Reflection.
In these strange days when we are almost not sure if we are walking on a film set or seeing the reality of each new day, we need to remind ourselves that today is Mothering Sunday. It is the fourth Sunday of Lent and today is also known as Refreshment Sunday, Simnel Sunday, and in Surrey, Pudding Pie Sunday! It is a time when we think of our mothers, maybe sending cards or gifts and perhaps sharing a meal with them. In church we would be giving all the women, mothers or not, a posy of flowers and for the men present too! It is also a rest in the Lenten penitence and fasting.
Jesus loved his mother and was concerned about her. In the Jewish understanding, he was the head of the household, would have made provision for her should he be taken away or even die. So too we love our mothers, remembering their sacrifice and commitment to their children.
Today we give thanks for all sorts of Mothers not just our own mothers, but all of those who care about us. We also take this opportunity to remember our Mother Church as well – where we were baptised or christened, or our Cathedral.
Let us pray for all who care for others, mothers and fathers, families, schools, friends, hospitals, and all caring organisations.
For all who care and try and help others in our communities, during this Coronavirus pandemic.
For our own mother figures.
We pray for those who are ill at this time and offer them to God.
For the dying, those who have died and those who mourn. We thank God for our loved ones.
Help us as we thank you for our mother Church, for all clergy who are searching the way to lead our people through these difficult days.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen
Happy Mothering Sunday!