Yesterday, my family celebrated Mothers Day together so that we could give Jane a chance to have the kind of day that celebrates all that she does for us. We started the day by letting her sleep-in while our three children helped prepare her morning. Luke made her a card and helped me carry her Cocoa up to her after she woke. He proudly presented her with the ceramic lotus flower he had made for her at school, as well as letting her know that her new ceramic mug was crafted by his teacher. While Marie helped bring up Jane’s second cocoa—this time with the fresh homemade whipped cream—Anthony entertained her with hugs and laughter. Then came the yeast risen homemade gluten free chocolate chip Belgian waffles with more of the fresh whipped cream, and finally the mimosa that I got to bring up and join her for as she enjoyed the adoration of her family.
Most of the rest of the day was spent at the beach with friends, digging holes, splashing in the water, playing games, and then coming home, getting the boys to bed, enjoying a homemade sushi dinner and a glass of champagne (courtesy of the morning’s mimosa leftovers), and spending some one on one time with Marie before I parted company with Jane and Marie to prepare this morning’s sermon.
I don’t remember ever having had a morning like we had together today with my childhood family growing up. Many years ago, when Jane and I talked about how we would parent together, we talked about the best elements of what we experienced growing up, as well as the elements we would actively work together to change for our own children.
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Today we are reminded of the calling to be in relationship with our God as our comforter, our never failing companion, the one who leads us, seeks for our wellbeing and care, and whose accompaniment is promised in peace as well as in turmoil. Even in the shadow of death and beset by perils and enemies, we are promised God’s love and presence to sustain us.
This ideal from today’s Psalm was lived out in Christ’s life as he taught, lived, healed, and joined his followers in relationships of mutuality, courage, and an indomitable love that overcame even death in the pouring out of God’s abundance.
Each of today’s readings points to and links us, as Christ’s disciples right now on Mothers Day in 2019, to the model of mutual care and accompaniment in the Good Shepherd. We are amongst those of every tribe and language and people and nation depicted in our second reading as having been baptized and called as Christ’s disciples. We too, with Peter, are called, as in last week’s Gospel, to feed and take care of Christ’s followers. We are called to live as Christ’s hands and heart in our own world, striving to be for those in our care the Good Shepherd whose lambs are cared for as God’s own children.
Earlier in Acts, Peter’s miraculous healing of a crippled man, now followed by the raising of Tabitha in today’s first reading bookend last week’s reading of Paul’s conversion—each stories of the ways in which Christ’s presence and power in the world continue on in the world through US—his disciples—after his physical presence was no longer amongst us.
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, would not abandon us, even in death, even after resurrection and ascension. As he promised before his time of trial and crucifixion had come, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to empower, fill, encourage, and guide the shepherds he had trained and called to carry on in his name.
Today, here in this place, in our own contemporary world, those disciples trained and called to carry on in Christ’s name are us. And as we care for one another as though caring for our own family, we are brought back to the realization of God’s promise through our own communities, our own families, our own willingness to take up the shepherd’s rod and staff to comfort, guide, and nourish one another.
As we hear in today’s Gospel, the only condition for being counted amongst Jesus flock is faith: to believe, to seek out, and to have a relationship with the one in whose company we find ourselves led beside still waters, comforted, accompanied, and, even in the shadow of death and beset by the troubles of our world, find ourselves blessed and our cups running over with the abundance of God’s love and grace.
As imperfect of models of that love and grace as we may sometimes be, we are yet called to partner with God to bring it alive in our world.
Some of us have lost our mothers, some of us feel as though we never had a mother in the first place, but on this day, we remember all those who have served as mothering figures to us—in all the many forms those figures may take. And on this particular Mothers Day, as I remember the day that my family had yesterday in celebration of someone whose life and love have enriched my and our children’s lives beyond measure, I am gladdened by examples of God’s love and grace that remind me that sometimes we do get it right.
May this Good Shepherd Sunday be a reminder to us of our best selves, and the calling to mutual care and love of one another. And may this be a day of living out that love and care that yet promises to wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Amen.
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