Happy Mother's Day!
- Admin
- May 11
- 2 min read
The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all I need,
She makes me lie down in green meadows,
Beside the still waters, She will lead.
She restores my soul, She rights my wrongs,
She leads me in a path of good things,
And fills my heart with songs.
Even though I walk, through a dark & dreary land,
There is nothing that can shake me,
She has said She won't forsake me,
I'm in her hand.
She sets a table before me, in the presence of my foes,
She anoints my head with oil,
And my cup overflows.
Surely, surely goodness & kindness will follow me,
All the days of my life,
And I will live in her house,
Forever, forever & ever.
Glory be to our Mother, & Daughter,
And to the Holy of Holies,
As it was in the beginning, is now & ever shall be,
World, without end. Amen (Bobby McFerrin version)
Many of you have heard my story about playing this Bobby McFerrin rendition of the 23rd psalm at a youth confirmation retreat almost 30 years ago and the uproar it caused among a few of the adult sponsors in the room. How dare we use the female pronoun for God? they said. Heresy!
Today it is much more accepted, as we have become enlightened by the grandeur and omnipotence of God. God is not an old man with a beard sitting on a throne! As a child in a family with an abusive father, the masculine image of God did not bring comfort for Bobby McFerrin, and thus this version he wrote was dedicated to the feminine image of God and to his mother.
On this day when we remember mothers, I am certain there are as many images of mother as there are people in the world. Mother is a verb as well as a noun, and we are mothered by a myriad of people. I hope this day you can celebrate anyone who has mothered you, give thanks for them and let them know how much they mean to you. And if your mother is in heaven, as mine is, savor the memories of her if you can. If anyone in your life has mothered you in a meaningful way, let them know!
I would be remiss not to share with you this article about Pope Leo's mother and the rich insight into why he is who he is today. Though I am not a Roman Catholic, I have felt a part of the Church universal in a new and different way since Pope Francis' papacy, and I believe Pope Leo is God's choice for the continuation of that legacy. For that I am deeply grateful.