The widening family of God
Readings: John 19. 25-27 & Colossians 3. 12-17
On this mothering Sunday we are reminded in our readings both of the cost of motherhood, and of the widening family of God which is bigger than, and cuts through, family ties.
Today Lent begins to turn, we’re halfway through and, as I mentioned at the start of our worship, the mood lightens for a day as we refresh ourselves ready for the second half. But as we enter the second half our attention turns from ourselves; our faith and our lives, and turns to focus on the cross of Christ.
We have a preview of what is to come today in our Gospel reading as the words of Simeon spoken for us just a few weeks ago at Candlemas, but for Jesus and Mary over 30 years before, come to pass as a metaphorical sword pierces Mary’s heart as she watches her Son die surrounded by mocking crowds. Anyone who has lost a close family member of friend, particularly if in painful or sudden circumstances knows that pain.
And of course at this moment Jesus is suffering great pain isn’t he. He’s hanging on the cross, the pain of the nails in his hands and feet. The weight of his body making every breath more and more difficult as he has to lift himself to take the pressure off his lungs to inhale. Combined with the damage done by the whips to his back pressed against the rough wood of the cross and the crown of thorns pressing into his head. Jesus is suffering greatly both physically, and as he bears the sins of the whole world upon himself, spiritually.
And yet, and yet as he looks down from the cross he see’s the anguish of his mother, the anguish of his closest friend, and he is moved with love and compassion. Despite the pain, despite the victory being within reach, almost accomplished, Jesus isn’t distracted, caught up in that or in his own suffering, instead he speaks to them, uses some of his final words, final breaths, final exertions of energy to speak to them. And what does he do? He entrusts them to one another. In one sense he is just doing what every good Jewish son in those days should do. We presume at this point, because there has been no mention of him once Jesus starts his ministry, that Joseph is dead. That means responsibility for the care, protection and provision for his mother, Mary, falls to Jesus as her firstborn Son. And so here he entrusts her to his closest friend, ensures that once he is gone that she will be cared for, provided for.
But there’s something else going on too. At the cross the Church is forged. In the broken body of Christ, as blood and water flow from his side the Church is formed. In this moment as Christ brings us back to God, tears down the barrier of our sin and brokenness, as we are reconciled, made right with, both God and one another, he is forging the church. At Pentecost it will truly burst into life, but they’re two parts of the same action, much as Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension are two parts of the same movement as Christ is glorified. And as the Church is forged in Jesus’ body and blood, he speaks to the two who are still with him, the two who are closest to him, and he entrusts them to one another, entrusts the Church to one another.
Motherhood is a complex thing isn’t it. It’s not a neutral topic, and it works both ways, both up the generations and down. For some, we will have wonderful relationships with our mothers, for others those relationships will be strained or even non-existent. Some of us will see our mothers today, some will be mourning their loss. For some they’ll be rejoicing in their children today, for others they’ll be mourning a broken relationship or the loss of a child. Some long to be mothers and cannot be, some don’t want to have children but are shunned because of it.
Motherhood is complex, I’m sure here today we’ll be feeling a wide range of emotions, some of us multiple even conflicting emotions. And if the overriding emotion you feel today is one of loss or pain, look to Jesus. For he looks with compassion and love on his mother as her heart breaks, and he looks in the same way upon you. With nothing but compassion, love and care. He feels your pain, knows you and what you are going through even better than you yourself know, and in that knowing his heart reaches out to you, longing for your good. And as he does so, as he looks upon you with compassion and love and care, he says to you, here is your family, and entrusts you to your brothers and sisters here.
Because in this moment on the cross Jesus is tearing up the rule book on family ties, indeed he’s been doing so already where his family are concerned throughout his ministry. Not because he doesn’t love them, doesn’t care for them, is rejecting them in some way. Not because our families aren’t important. But because he’s throwing the doors open wider.
You know those words Paul is writing to the Colossians would describe a great mum wouldn’t they. Compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving, loving. A teacher and one who corrects, filled with gratitude. That sounds like a great mum. But Paul isn’t writing to the mothers in Colossae, he’s not even writing to the women. He’s writing to the church. For the Church, God’s people, is to be a mother to God’s people. This is what we’re to be like in caring for one another, in our relationships with one another.
In other words, whilst the traditional family ties of motherhood are complex and sometimes challenging. We all have a role to play here in mothering a nurturing one another. In our lives together we are not simply to be brothers and sisters, although we are that in Christ. But we are also to raise and nurture spiritual sons and daughters in Christ. And those sons and daughters, defying all convention, can be older than us in physical years.
We all have a place, men and women, in both delivering and raising new Christians. And as we do so we’re to be kind, compassionate, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving and loving. We’re to teach and instruct, correcting when they go wrong. We’re to be filled with gratitude to God for all he has done for us. And we’re to do this with one another, those of us who are more mature in our faith, nurturing and encouraging one another as we continue with Christ. As I said back last summer, we are all our brothers and sisters keepers.
So as we give thanks for the mother figures in our lives, whether biological, adoptive or anyone else, let us pray that God would grow those qualities in us. That God would be at work among us in his family here at St David’s and in Hubberston and Milford Haven as a whole. That he would give us the joy not just of nurturing and encouraging the faith of those around us now, but also give us the joy of new members of our family, of new believers whom we can nurture and encourage as they step out with Jesus. Christ has reshaped even our family ties. He has entrusted us to one another as his people, as the Church, at the cross he forges a new way of being with one another. So let us not neglect one another, but love and care for one another as Christ cares for us. 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.
Amen.