Mother’s Day Suggestion

As the country prepares for Mother’s Day, those dealing with infertility rearrange their armor, or go into hiding. Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book, Beating on the Chest of God, that just might help a little. No matter what you do next week, know you are not alone.

 

There were lots of Mother’s Days that I spent alone in my home, drinking lots of coffee and pretending it was any other day; while my husband went to church to lead worship and baptize babies. Some years I was fine to go and watch the celebration.

 

 

 

Maybe you want to go out with a friend who also struggles with infertility, or someone whose children are grown and far away. Maybe you will choose to pamper yourself with a pedicure or bubble bath.

 

Each day brings with it different emotions, honor those.

 

My husband found the following litany on a wonderful blog, worshiphelps.blogs.com, and if you are part of a faith community, I urge you to share this litany with your worship leader. Even if you don’t go to church on Mother’s Day, it will no doubt touch someone who does.

 

 

Mothers’ Day Litany

 

Lord, on this day set aside to honor and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from your hands, and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving us birth.

 

We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mom, adopted mom, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our moms.

 

L: We pray for older moms whose children are grown.

P: Grant them joy and satisfaction for a job well done.

L: We pray for new moms experiencing changes they could not predict.

P: Grant them rest and peace as they trust you for the future.

L: We pray for pregnant women who will soon be moms.

P: Grant them patience and good counsel in the coming months.

L: We pray for moms who face the demands of single parenthood.

P: Grant them strength and wisdom.

L: We pray for moms who enjoy financial abundance.

P: Grant them time to share with their families.

L: We pray for moms who are raising their children in poverty.

P: Grant them relief and justice.

L: We pray for step-moms.

P: Grant them patience and understanding and love.

L: We pray for moms who are separated from their children.

P: Grant them faith and hope.

L: We pray for moms in marriages that are in crisis.

P: Grant them support and insight.

L: We pray for moms who have lost children.

P: Grant them comfort in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

L: We pray for those who made the painful decision to abort.

P: Grant them healing and peace.

L: We pray for moms who chose adoption for their children.

P: Grant them peace and confidence as they trust in your providence.

L: We pray for adoptive mothers.

P: Grant them joy and gratitude for the gift you have provided.

L: We pray for girls and women who think about being moms.

P: Grant them wisdom and discernment.

L: We pray for women who desperately want, or wanted, to be moms.

P: Grant them courage and connection on the journey.

L: We pray for all women who have assumed the mother’s role in a child’s life.

P: Grant them joy and the appreciation of others.

L: We pray for those people present who are grieving the loss of their mother, especially for those for whom this is the first Mother’s Day without her.

P: Grant them comfort and hope in Christ’s resurrection.

(All mothers, women, and girls are invited to come to the front of the sanctuary to receive a blessing through prayer and the laying on of hands.)

 

Lord, we thank you for the gift of motherhood. We thank you for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Lois. Hear now the first names of other women who have inspired us by their motherly examples . . . We are mindful this day of all these women, and especially Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the courage in faith to say “yes” to your calling. May these women gathered here today emulate these examples of faith. And may they model for all the rest of us what it means to be your disciple. Bless them on this special day; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

This liturgy written by Rev. Tom M. Trinidad, PhD, reprinted with permission. Find more resources by this author at worshiphelps.blogs.com.ⁱ

 

iTrinidad, Tom. “A Mother’s Day Liturgy.” worshiphelps.blogs.com. Tom Trinidad, May 11, 2006. Web. April, 2011.