Happy Mother’s Day!

As we celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday, we honor, celebrate and remember mother’s, grandmother’s, aunt’s, Godmother’s and all women who love, nurture, inspire and enrich the lives of others.

I did a little research this week into the history of Mother’s Day.  Although there had been occasional ceremonies to honor mothers in the late 1800s, the first “official” celebration of Mother’s Day is recorded as May 10, 1908.  Celebrated at Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, the service in 1908 was organized by Anna Jarvis along with the support of John Wannamaker of Philadelphia.  In addition to honoring her own mother, Ann Jarvis, who had taught Sunday School at the church, Anna campaigned to honor mothers everywhere.  The observance spread and was widely celebrated in New York the following year.  By 1914 a law had been enacted which designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

Our mission at St. John’s is “To Know Christ and to Make Him Known.”  You will see this statement printed in our church publications, on our website, and on our Facebook page.  In last week’s Chalice publication, Father Duncan invited each of us to consider how our relationship with Christ can grow and how we are called to proclaim Christ in the world.  God has bestowed grace on us and out of God’s abundant grace we share with others.  God can and will work in and through us we make ourselves available to him.

I did not know much about the history of Mother’s Day before this week.  But what a great example we see in the work of Anna Jarvis and the Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church – how the inspiration of one person and the vision of her faith community would lead to a national day of observance and the honoring and raising up of all women.  Anna Jarvis had the inspiration and vision of honoring women and she did something to share that with others.  However, it involved the cooperation and work of the entire faith community to join her in the vision that would set that first Mother’s Day on the path to be what it is today.

Every person, every voice, every vision is important at St. John’s.  We are seeking to know Christ and to make him known.  How is God calling you to grow in a deeper spirituality?  Where is God calling you to join with others in this faith community to share God’s love and grace in the world?  How is your life and our life together making Christ known?  Will we, like Anna Jarvis and Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church, be willing to share our vision?

For grace is given not because we have done good works,
but in order that we may be able to do them.    — St. Augustine

Blessings this Mother’s Day,

Deacon Anthony