Hear & Know

This Sunday many people will celebrate their mom and the gift of motherhood. Mother’s Day is a beautiful reminder of goodness, holiness, compassion and life. Mother’s Day calls us to look at the intimacy of love and being known and seen in love. 

This Sunday (4^th Sunday of Easter) is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. In the gospel from John (10.27-30) we hear Jesus say, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life.” For Jesus to declare this he had to know love, both that of God and of his mother Mary. Remember at his baptism God declared, “This is my Son, the beloved” and often in his life time he must have heard his name said in love by his mother. Jesus knew what it was like to be known and valued for who he was. It is in the power of relationship that he was able to embrace his life-giving journey and then offer his all for us to receive the maternal gift of God’s embrace known as eternal life.

In pondering the above statement of Jesus I thought, “is this not a most wonderful affirmation from him?” For it is the gift of how intimately close he is to us (like mother holds a child in her womb) always. It is the gift of hearing our name announced and being called love. It is the gift of embracing the resurrection and the life it calls us to. It is the gift of life here and now and also life in the eternal kingdom. Jesus our brother and savior calls us into the kingdom of God and gives us a place of dignity – each one of us.

We are called.

We are chosen.

We are seen.

We are known.

We have a way.

We have life.

We have freedom.

We have paradise.

We know love.

We know the Son.

We know hope.

We know burdens undone.

We are God’s children.

We are held in care.

We are given new life.

We are love to bear.

To all the mothers of the world who call our names in love, show us our dignity and remind us that we are God’s beloved – we say thank you, we love you and ask God to bless you today and always.