Pastor's Pen: For My Mother Tells Me So

We all know the old children’s song:

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

This succinct summary of the Christian faith contains a lot of truth. It emphasizes the love of God in Jesus Christ, and it also speaks to the authority of the Scriptures. I have heard hour-long sermons that contained less content.

However, I once met a man from Scotland who said that he grew up singing a different version of the song.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For my mother tells me so.

I don’t know if this version of the song is widespread or what is the origin of it, but it has something important to teach us as well.

It is rare that someone without prior instruction or introduction would sit down to read the Scriptures to learn about God, Jesus, and our place in the world. The faith must be taught and modeled by faithful witnesses. For many of us, we first learned about a loving God at our mother’s knee. This version of the song reminds us how important our mothers, fathers, and families can be.

Before Mother’s Day became an official holiday by law in the United States in 1914, the Christian church celebrated what was called “Mothering Sunday.” Since the 16th Century many churches in the United Kingdom and Europe set aside the fourth Sunday of Lent as a special celebration. Parishioners who had not attended worship services for a long time would be encouraged to “go a-mothering.” However, the mother being celebrated was not our actual moms, but in fact, the mother church. Only later did the holiday become associated with motherhood.

Now, I am completely comfortable with having a special day set aside for our moms. (Shout-out to my mom.) Nonetheless, perhaps we should not forget that the church is also our mother. The lessons our mothers teach us in the nursery are reinforced by the ministry of the church. The church supports us by encouragement, love, and accountability. I am proud to say that I have been blessed by several mothers, including Sunday School teachers, mentors, prayer partners, and even that lady who straightens the collar of my stole.

Without the nurture of mothers and the mother church, our life of faith would be so much harder. So this year, be sure to call your mom and also offer a prayer of thanks for the church.