Motherhood

Mother's Day. An observance not without its complications.

Because this holiday always falls on a Sunday, I have often been tasked with crafting a liturgy in recognition of this vocation. Which is just as tricky as it sounds.

A few years ago, I discovered the set of petitions below. This collection of words, at least to me, felt like it captured much of the emotional complexity of this primary and primal role...

"For new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibilities;

For expectant mothers, wondering and waiting;

For those who are tired, stressed or depressed;

For those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;

For those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;

For those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;

For those who have children they do not want;

For those who raise children on their own;

For those who have lost a child;

For those who care for children of others;

For those whose children have left home;

And for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled.

We pray for mothers who fear they will run out of love, or time, or patience.

And we pray especially for those who grieve the loss of their mother or those separated from their mothers by war or conflict.

To them, our very existence is owed."