Jitterbugging for Jesus

I hate to sound like a Hallmark Party pooper, but it seems to me we’ve gone overboard with Mother’s Day.

For no less than 20 years I’ve observed this creeping commercialism that has tainted the integrity of it.

Back in the day, Mother’s Day was pretty much a one-day special event. We honored our wonderful Mum by serving her breakfast in bed. We showered her with flowers. We took her out to dinner on Saturday night and to lunch on Sunday.

The Christian churches and other of God’s houses recognized mothers on the Sabbath day by having them stand up for special recognition.

For one day or maybe a two-day weekend at most, we treated Mom like she was Queen For a Day. (Those of a certain advanced age will remember the great TV show of that name; my mother never missed it.)

Now, Mother’s Day commercials start running continually for no less than two full weeks ahead of the weekend event. Restaurants start offering special meals for mothers long in advance of the Big Day. The Floral Shops cash in big for days on end.

Personally, I was richly blessed to have two of the greatest parents who, in my estimation, ever lived. My folks worked and scraped not only to have a comfortable life for themselves as a couple, but to make sure that their three sons would have every opportunity for the best lives possible.

Of two parents, mothers are special because of that nurturing womb thing that fathers can’t relate to. We all have this nine months of special connecting with our mothers that men just don’t have.

So I’m all for Mother’s Day Weekend. And my gnawing problem with it isn’t that these long, extended Hosannahs aren’t fully deserved and heartwarming. A good mother can’t be honored and recognized enough.

The problem is that this weekend extended over weeks is painful for so many millions of people grieving over an absent mom, or the mom who will be absent in the not-too-distant future because of the ravages of disease or old age or both.

It’s painful for the millions of childless women who dreamed of their children to be, and for those who never found the right man to marry and have a child with.

Then there’s the flip side. Mother’s Day is painful, sometimes to the point of excruciating, for the millions of people who had The Mother From Hell — the abusive or neglectful mother, or the one who abandoned soon after birth.

When I was in active ministry as a hospital chaplain, I worked the Sunday swing shift from 2:30 to midnight. For obvious reasons, Mother’s Day was one of those extra-grueling days for one whose job was to give spiritual care to those laid low by illness, injury, impending death and the aftermath of death.

I also served two full, grueling years as a hospice chaplain. I think pastors, and certainly hospital and hospice chaplains, know better than most how complicated and dysfunctional relationships with mothers and fathers and families can be.

Of course, I’ve often noted here that complicated or dysfunctional family relationships aren’t new. This we know because the book of Genesis and so many other parts of the Bible tell us so.

Hell hath no fury like a family member’s or members’ grudge.

By all means, let’s honor and thank God for our good Mothers today.

And allow me to send a great big hug to all of you amazing Moms — and first and foremost to all those great mothers in my own family!

You are amazing indeed, Moms!

But how about we take a minute to pray for and remember those who aren’t having a Hallmark Card day. For many, it’s a long day — or a long two weeks now.