She is like a Mother to me

Dear Friends,

I think you will agree that it is an overwhelming joy
to see a loving mother looking into the eyes of her adoring child
both their faces radiant with life and love.

I think you will agree that it is also an overwhelming joy
if the child is not fortunate to have their own mother
or the mother her own child,
to see the two hearts blending with the same radiance and light.

It is undeniable that when someone says
“she is like a mother to me”
it really means
“I know a mother's love.”

And how beautiful over time to see the mother age and ripen
and her child emerge into fullness of adult life and destiny,
how lucky to have mom for many years,
because a deep friendship like no other emerges
as life brings out happiness and tears,
harmony and argument,
struggle and peace,
sickness and health,
and the new generations are born all the while,
into this bittersweetness, mostly sweet.

My dying mother, fully ready for her next and greatest adventure, said to me in her last days
“I am so lucky I was able to bring my children into this life,
and i will be there to bring you into the next.”

On Mother’s Day let us also remember
those who have never known such love
and live lives far from it.

Let us remember those mothers and children
whose bond is tested sorely by poverty, tragedy
sickness and war.

And more than remember, let us pledge
to our living mother’s honor
or our departed mother’s memory
that we will be there
to protect the fragile bonds between mothers and children,

and that we will be
just like a mother
just like a father
just like family
to those so thirsty for this love.

Happy Mother’s Day!
Fr. Rick Frechette