"Every Day is Mother’s Day!"

That is my favorite response to “Happy Mother’s Day!”

Every Day, as a mother is a day to celebrate the gift of children and the blessings they bring. Boy, that would make a great Hallmark card but Mother’s Day is much more complicated and so is the meaning of my odd response.

Mother’s Day celebrates all the virtues and ideals of being a mother. In my mind, our culture seeks to celebrate those perfect mothers. May being the month we celebrate Mary, the perfect mother, this can make sense to Catholic Mothers. We look to her as the best gift God could give Jesus. That said, I don’t believe Mother’s Day should celebrate perfection. If you are striving to be perfect, the role of mother is not for you.

As Momas, we seek to meet needs, known and unknown. We juggle demands not always knowing how to prioritize them. We disappoint and we fail. Momas get up and try again. We know that being needed demonstrates that we are so important. We know that in our absence, we are missed and in our failings sometimes bad stuff happens.

It is how we deal with the varied emotions in raising children that is key. It is with gratitude for this beautiful, blessed life that we struggle to do our best. However, if we allow our failings to define us, we fail our children. If we allow the fear of the unknown to prevent us from being engaged, we will be unable to love or make good decisions. If we allow the bumps and bruises to our emotions to take root, we will distance ourselves.

We must accept our weaknesses, offer up our failings and trust in God.

We may NEVER stop serving!

We are important, we are loved, and as the saying goes, “THIS IS THE TOUGHEST JOB YOU’LL EVER LOVE!”

Every Day is Mother’s Day!

Enjoy today whatever it looks like.

Know that it is in the image and likeness of God, you were blessed by God in creating life!

The angels stand in awe of this power and dance in the light of a new soul.

We are mothers!

Celebrate the joy in serving, loving, living, and learning something new every day. This is a job without a net but not without the love of God. When we demonstrate the willingness to love unconditionally, to serve without ceasing, to give without counting the cost – we pick up our cross!

As Momas, when we pick up our cross, it hugs us back.

This is not a burden, it is a blessing!

P.S. – Hug the daddy, it's his day too!

May you feel the peace of Christ and the love of your children in this day. I pray for a reconciliation of all broken relationships, a healing of all wounds. May all accept the tremendous blessings and mercy that Jesus pours out upon us.

Amen