What does it mean to be a mother?

Felicity Grubb reflects on biblical examples of motherly love.

For some, Mother’s Day (30 March) is a time of great celebration. But it can also be a difficult day of complicated emotions, such as grief, disappointment or frustration, perhaps due to difficult relationships. If I’m honest, it’s a day I often avoid.

One of my favourite programmes is Call the Midwife and I recall an episode that focused on a Mother of the Year competition and looked at different variations of what a ‘mum’ can be. There was Nurse Nancy Corrigan, who became a mum as a teenager and was forced to leave her daughter in a convent-led children’s home, only granted access if she pretended they were sisters. Such was her love that she fought to bring her daughter home.

There was Reggie, who, since the death of his mother, had lived with his cousin and his cousin’s wife. Such was her love for Reggie that she helped nurture him into a fine young man.

There was Timothy, whose mother died when he was young. His life was changed when his father, Patrick, fell in love with Sheilagh and married her. Patrick and Sheilagh also adopted Angela and then found out they were pregnant with Teddie. Such was Sheilagh’s abundance of love that they also fostered May from Hong Kong. Each child came to them in a different way and was loved equally.

Finally, there was Mrs Higgins, who had a baby when she was working in India and fell in love. This caused social outrage at the time, but such was her love for her child that she allowed him to be adopted by a local family. In the episode, her terminally ill son travelled to London to see her.

Who won Mother of the Year? None of them! It was Sister Julienne, head of Nonnatus House. Such was her love that she had supported, held the hands of and wiped the tears of countless people over her time as a midwife.

In the Bible, we also see many examples of motherly love. In Exodus, such is Jochebed’s love and faith in God that she sends her newborn son up the river, in the hope he will survive the atrocities happening at the time. Had it not been for her love and faithfulness, arguably Moses never would have led the Hebrews to the Promised Land.

In 1 Samuel, we meet Hannah, who is desperate to be a mother. The Lord answers her prayer by blessing her with Samuel. Such is her love that she takes him to serve at the Temple – he goes on to become a great prophet.

We cannot forget Mary, mother of Jesus. Such is her love that she watches her son die on a cross to save us all – I cannot begin to fathom the pain she must have experienced.

From a personal perspective, such was the love of my mother that she handed me over to the Sisters. Such was their love that they then found my mum to raise me. Such was her love that I grew up knowing love. Such is the love of countless women within my life that I am able to be the mother I am today.

What does it mean to be a mother? Is it just to carry a child within your body? Is it just to raise that child? I think these are not the only ways. The above examples all have one thing in common: passing on the gift of love.

Reflect and respond

• Pray for the mothers and mother figures in the lives of you and your loved ones. Thank God for their example of God’s love.
• Thank God for the mothers within our church. Pray that God will bless them and surround them with love.
• Pray for anyone who finds Mother’s Day difficult. Pray for people who miss their mothers, people who miss their children and people longing to be mothers. Pray they will feel God’s love today.