O God, on this mother’s day,
we pause thank you for all the ways you are a mother to us.
You are mother to us in the way you watch over us
and watch out for us.
Scripture likens you to a mother eagle, to a mother hen, to a mother bear.
Like these creatures, you are ever mindful and fiercely protective.
You are a mother to us in the way you hold us and heal us.
Scripture likens you to a caring mother who scoops up her children in her arms
and comforts them.
You are a nurturer and a giver of compassion.
You understand our tears, calm our fears, and soothe our disappointments.
You bandage our injuries and kiss our wounds.
You are mother to us the way you labor and love.
Our holy scripture likens you to a midwife,
to a pregnant woman in labor, to a nursing mother.
As life-giver, you have given birth to us as infants.
But you always seem to be in labor,
birthing and rebirthing new creations in us and around us.
And for this, O God, we give you thanks.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
O God, we ask your blessings for all the women in our world
who have experienced the wonder of bringing forth new life.
We ask for strength as they walk the demanding journey that is motherhood.
We ask for wisdom on how best to raise their children.
We ask for mercy as they inevitably make mistakes.
For all these mothers, O God, we ask your blessings.
We also ask your blessings on all the women
for whom being a mother is a source of pain and anxiety.
For mothers like Eve, whose children are entangled in rivalry.
For mothers like Hagar, who have been cast aside and forced to mother alone.
For mothers like Naomi, who have lost a child and must carry on.
For mothers like Moses’s, who made a difficult decision to give up her child because
she felt she could not provide the safest or healthiest environment.
For mothers like Pharaoh’s daughter, who have chosen to lovingly raise a child that
isn’t theirs by birth.
For mothers like Leah’s and Rachel’s, who are forced to watch a judgmental and
broken society favor one child over another.
For mothers like Bathsheba, whose children face tremendous or even terminal illness.
For mothers like Mary, who have a complicated pregnancy story they are embarrassed
to explain.
For all these mothers, O God, we ask your blessings.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
O God, we ask for grace for all the mothers
in perilous situations around the world.
For mothers in countries like Syria and Somalia,
whose impoverished and war-torn nations
have made protecting their children nearly impossible.
For mothers in places like Venezuela,
who are faced with food shortages
and are forced to skip meals so their children can eat.
And for mothers in places like Tulsa,
who may be struggling to provide for their children.
We pray especially for those who are single parents and must bear these burdens alone.
When they feel alone, we ask for the gift of your divine presence.
When they feel aimless, we ask for the gift of your divine providence.
When they feel desperate, we ask for the gift of your divine provision.
For all these mothers, O God, we ask for grace.
You hear us calling,
You hear us calling,
Abba Father.
O God, we also remember the women in our midst
who desire to be mothers, but are not.
For women like Tamar, who have tried every possible way to become a mother and have come
up empty handed.For women like Rachel, who watch family members give birth, but remain childless.
For women like Sarah, who endure the pain of their husbands having children with other
women.
For women who never had children but mother their coworkers and colleagues,
their godchildren and neighborhood children, their nephews and nieces.
We ask for mercy and grace and patience and peace for all these women today.
God, we ask for grace for those of us who may not be mothers,
but experience pain on this day.
For sons and daughters whose mothers
are sources of tension rather than peace,
judgment rather than compassion,
and hurt rather than love.
And for sons and daughters who have lost mothers
and now ache from the absence of maternal love.
In their lives, O God, be mother today.
No matter how we experience this day,
we trust that you, O God, rejoice with those who rejoice
and mourn with those who mourn.
Our names our written on your heart
and our stories are engraved on your palm.
All of this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy,
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.