Yesterday a member asked a very good question: "Why didn't we celebrate Mother's Day in church?" The question was not asked in an accusatory way, rather one of curiosity. With her permission, I said I would answer in today's morning email.
I remember growing up our tradition on Mother's Day was to wear a rose to church. Many of you know this tradition, a red rose signifies your mother is still living and a white rose means your mother is deceased. I always enjoyed that tradition and still do.
Mothers are incredibly special people. They deserve more than one day of celebration and thanksgiving! Mother's Day is not, however, on the Church Calendar. Mother's Day was made an official US holiday in 1914. It was started by Anna Jarvis in 1912 to honor mothers and their great sacrifice and labor in raising all of us up. There is a Christian version of this in England. The 4th Sunday of Lent is known as Mothering Sunday. It started as a commemoration of "Mother Church" and the Virgin Mary. Like good old fashioned "homecomings" in the South, worshipers in England would return to their home church for worship. Over time Mother Church also included mama, and boys and girls off at school were allowed to go home for the weekend (to see mama!). But even this Church celebration did not start out honoring our biological mamas.
So why not make the Second Sunday in May a Sunday for Mothers? We can, but here is another view. Traditionally the Eucharist has been in two classes - a conventual Eucharist and a votive Eucharist. The conventual Eucharist is your Sunday morning Eucharist. It is for all of the people. The votive Eucharist is for specific intentions or celebrations. A funeral Eucharist is technically a votive Eucharist because the Eucharist is for the departed.
The Sunday service, the conventual Eucharist for everyone, should be just that. The Gospel proclamation should always be, as we say, catholic (universal). I have served churches were the tradition was to honor the oldest mother, youngest mother, etc. While I think these are fun traditions, I also noticed ladies looking sorrowful because they did not or could not have children.
So while we can wear our roses and take our moms to lunch and pray for them on this and every Sunday, a better celebration of Mothers in the Church would be to have a votive Eucharist, another celebration for the specific purpose of giving thanks and praying for mothers, and to keep the Sunday service rooted in the proclamation of the readings of the day. The same is true for Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, Veteran's Day, and so forth. These individuals are worthy of our celebration and prayers.
By the way, if you are completely bored and would like to read a history of the votive Eucharist in the Anglican tradition,
here's a paper I wrote for the degree of Doctor of Ministry I'm working on.
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Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws336.765.0294 - office
336.602.0370 - cell
