John Paul Schlueter
Mother’s Day is a day often wasted:
We like to use it to appreciate the mothers in our lives by buying them flowers and dinner, maybe writing a nice note about our love and gratitude for them.
The day should be so much more.
The great Alice von Hildebrand once wrote:
“Just as Christ has suffered the agonizing pains of the crucifixion in order to reopen for us the gates of heaven, so the woman has received the costly privilege of suffering so that another child made to God’s image and likeness can enter into the world.”
On Mother’s Day, we are celebrating all mothers — pregnant and otherwise.
Motherhood is a vocation specially designed for extreme sacrifice and suffering. Ask any mom.
The day is ultimately about honoring and supporting their mission as mothers. It’s not just about the cards, dinners, or flowers.
Here’s a little story.
My grandma devoted a significant portion of her life to caring for mothers who lost their babies through abortion. Her mission as a mother was not only to her own children but also to the hundreds of mothers and fathers who, for whatever reason, felt they couldn’t bear the massive responsibilities of motherhood/fatherhood.
But she could not have done this without the support and guidance of her husband — who was also on a mission to shut down abortion clinics across Ohio.
Motherhood is a gift. My prayers today are with all mothers, and especially all the pregnant mothers, expected or unexpected, who have been given the “costly privilege” of bringing a child into the world.
Our mission is to support them in theirs, today and every day.
