This week’s Readings and Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent - Mothering Sunday
The Collect for This Week
God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.. Amen
The Post Communion Prayer for this week
Psalm 127, verses 1 to 4
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. 2 Unless the Lord keeps the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. 3 It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, for he gives his beloved sleep. 4 Children are a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his gift.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen
The Old Testament Reading for this Sunday is taken from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 2, verses 1 to 10
1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. 4 His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’
This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
The New Testament reading for this Sunday is taken from the Letter of St Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 12 to 17
12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is taken from the Gospel of St John, Chapter 19, verses 25 to 27
Hear the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, according to John Glory to You, o Lord
25 And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ 27 Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, o Christ
Note :All readings are shared from the Church of England Lectionary App and are subject to copyright . © The Archbishop’s Council
This week’s sermon is delivered by Rev Denise Smith
Today as we celebrate Mothering Sunday, we are doing more than just buying flowers and chocolates. Historically this day was the day when people returned to their ‘Mother Church’ – the place where they were baptized, where their faith was nurtured. It is a day to celebrate not just our biological mothers but all who have mothered us – nurturing, protecting and guiding us in life and faith. Mothering in a loving sense is something we should all be doing no matter what gender or age! The church has an inclusive view and it allows for the appreciation that mothering is frequently more than a biological relationship.
In our Gospel reading today we are taken to the darkest place imaginable and yet there we see the loving relationship between Mary and Jesus. Mary is there watching her son die a slow, humiliating death. In her agony we see the essence of mothering – a stubborn, loving presence that will not abandon her child. Jesus sees her pain and grief. What does he do? What did Jesus do? He secures his mother’s future by giving his mother to the care of his beloved disciple, John and in turn John to Mary. At the foot of the cross, Jesus, when he himself was near to death, entrusted the woman who had loved him, raised him, nurtured him to someone who was not related by blood. Here we see a new way of being family. Those of us who have step children will be able to relate to this. Family units these days are very diverse; that ‘mothering’ love is given in so many different ways.
Throughout the Gospels we are taught that God is as much a Mother as a Father and Christ should be our role model. He is our guide to our caring and loving ---how it should be. We are ALL called to mothering of one kind or another, because we are all created in the image of God, who looks after us as his children. Jesus invites us into this new family of everlasting love – one we call church. Today on this 4th Sunday of Lent we thank God that through the shedding of Christ’s blood a new family of love was formed which was the start of a new community, created even while he was hanging on the cross. Even in our darkest moments Jesus comes to each one of us, to YOU and ME, to nurture us and give us new hope. In my experience, he comes to us and makes sure we are aware of him in our darkest moments.
How do we find comfort and consolation when fear and alarm or struggle and suffering strike us? Many people would say through our parents, often through our mothers. For plenty of other people this is simply not true. Parenting is not simple. The one who bore us may be the one who fails us or who has passed away. Jesus says, ‘like a mother God gathers his people to himself. He is gentle with us, as his children.’ All love has its source in the immeasurable love of God. All consolation comes from God, through being loved by him and it comes abundantly.
What Paul wrote to the Colossians in our first reading can be used as a simple guide to how we should live our lives.
V12. “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
We are to comfort one another and share each other’s burdens – share one another’s sufferings, just as Jesus shares ours. That same idea is shown in our beautiful window that we are working so hard to save. When we live like this we will be able to live more supportively, enjoying one another as God means us to. That has certainly been my experience for the last 30 years since belonging to this wonderful church family here in this place. Family life includes troubles and tragedies that may send us reeling as well as times of joy. Do not forget God’s parenting is what we all need. All too often we search for it among fallible human humanity and find ourselves let down. God’s arms are the ones that embrace us all, supporting us and setting us on our feet again. When I say my prayers I often use the phrase, ‘wrap your loving arms around someone’ who is struggling. He never lets us down.
So today on Mothering Sunday, let us be reminded of the parenthood of God who is Father and Mother to us all. God’s love is so strong and faithful. This is something we should remember all the year round not just today especially when we encounter difficulties. Today we are all feeling the suffering of the people involved in all the war torn countries of the world. Keep on holding them in our prayers and supporting them practically through different Christian charities.
So, whether today is a time of enjoyment with family members, for us lucky ones in this country or whether it is a more difficult day, cling on to the fact that you are loved with an eternal love just as you are! You are God’s child and he is Mother and Father to you in a way that can only bring comfort and fullness of life.
Even though we give the flowers mostly to the women in church, it is a day to recognise the ‘mothering’ roles of dads too, also grandparents, friends and our lovely church family. Let us give thanks for our ‘belonging’ to this mothering community we call church family. It is a place where people are cared for, protected and loved with the sacrificial love of Christ. Let us offer our care worn hearts to God and allow him to clothe us in that special kind of love that sacrifices, that forgives and that binds us together! Amen.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we give thanks and pray for our families and we thank you that we belong to this caring church family. We pray that your Holy Spirit will nurture, comfort and bring Blessings to all who need it at this time. Help us to walk with you at our side and to share each other’s burdens. In the name of Jesus we ask this, Amen.