Remembering mothers: On Mother’s Day and throughout the year

Mother’s Day is set aside to remember and honor all mothers. It is important that we recognize mothers on this Sunday, May 11.

As a mother myself and now a grandmother, I appreciate spending time with my children and grandchildren. The gift of time is probably more important than cards and gifts, but most mothers like to receive a small token of love from their children.

Many of us keep those special homemade cards and drawings we got through the years. I found some of them when we moved from our house to a condo last year and enjoyed sharing them with our now grown children.

But while Mother’s Day should be observed in some way, we should also remember mothers throughout the year. This is especially vital for our aging mothers, mothers-in-law, and grandparents. They especially cherish the time we can spend with them, including those who live in senior housing, assisted living, or nursing homes.

A Prayer for Mothers From Catholic Prayers (www.lordscall.com) All-loving God, we give you thanks and praise for mothers young and old. We pray for young mothers, who give life and count toes and tend to our every need. May they be blessed with patience and tenderness to care for their families and themselves with great joy. We pray for our own mothers who have nurtured and cared for us. May they continue to guide us in strong and gentle ways. We remember mothers who are separated from their children because of war, poverty, or conflict. May they feel the loving embrace of our God who wipes every tear away. We pray for women who are not mothers but still love and shape us with motherly care and compassion. We remember mothers. grandmothers, and great-grandmothers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen.

I know my mother-in-law certainly appreciates opportunities to spend time with her children and grandchildren. We also took her on a brief trip recently to her hometown to see some friends and relatives.

For those of us whose mothers and grandmothers are deceased, we can remember them in our thoughts and prayers. Sharing family pictures and memories of our mothers is another way to keep them alive in our hearts.

Several of our family members have been doing research on the genealogy of various sides of our family. It has united our family members in doing some “detective work” to try to locate more information on our ancestors, both maternal and paternal.

Perhaps prayer is the best thing we can do for all the mothers in our families, both living and deceased. I found the prayer printed here, which includes prayers for mothers of all kinds.

Let’s join in remembering all mothers on Mother’s Day and throughout the year. Happy Mother’s Day!