Dear Friends,
Recently, Ron Klain was interviewed on the Jan Psaki show (MSNBC). Ron, you may recall, has just left his post as chief of staff for President Joe Biden. A man of distinction who served in other administrations, Ron’s interview was clear, strong, thoughtful. Who would have thought how the interview would end. In these weeks running up to Mother’s Day, Jan asked Ron about his mother, who had been a major influence in his life. At 61, Ron Klain burst into tears.
Mothers, whether living or dead, have a way of doing that to us.
That got me thinking about Jesus on the cross, peering down through pain-blurred eyes at His mother who came to see Him through these last hours. I wonder if, like Ron Klain, the very sight of His mother brought tears to His eyes, too. She couldn’t touch Jesus, but He remembered her loving touch. Somehow, Jesus found the strength to give her and John the beloved disciple to each other. She would be safe in John’s care and he in hers. It always went both ways. Jesus was mindful of others to the very end.
Jesus, Ron Klain, you and I all have remembered mother-stories – how we felt with them at significant moments or in ordinary daily living. Their hair brushing our faces, their hands red from kitchen work, their disappointment in something we said or did. Mothers are memorable. Our mothers taught us about all sorts of things, including stamina – “You’ll sit there until you finish your spinach!”
Maybe we didn’t particularly like our mothers. We just rubbed each other the wrong way. On the other hand, maybe we remember the glow of approval in their eyes when we did or said something notable in public.
Mother’s Day may stress us out. We don’t know what to do with our memories, good, sad or unexpressed. What we can do is pray in thanks to our Mother God for our mothers. They carried us. Some died in the process. Without them, we would not be here, not be the selves we are.
If your mother is alive, hold her hand. Let your eyes speak for you. Words sometimes get in the way. Entrust her to Jesus.
~Sister Joan Sobala
