MOTHER'S DAY LITANY

      As a pastor, I've struggled with Mother's Day for some time now. At their best, mothers express love that is closer to God's love than any other form of love on earth. At their best, mothers love their children sacrificially and unconditionally, and they are more likely than the rest of us... to love the unlovable. But...mothers aren't always at their best. Most of them are more or less average, and more than a few are bad. Besides, there are some people who have lost their mothers to death, and others who have not been able to have a child. In short, Mother's Day brings joy AND sadness... and I haven't even mentioned that it's laced with commercialism and isn't on the church calendar.
      Mother's Day is a mixed blessing and we need to be aware of that. In an effort to lift up the best of a Mother's love... and also recognize that some of us didn't experience "the best," I would like to use the following litany at this year's Mother's Day service. (The liturgist will lead the way and the community's response is in bold type).

To those who had their first child this year, we celebrate with you;
To those who lost a child this year, we mourn with you;
To those are in the trenches with little ones every day, we appreciate you;
To those who've known loss through miscarriages & failed adoptions, we cry with you;
To those who've struggled with infertility, we apologize for saying foolish things;
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms, we need you;
To those who have close & warm relationships with your children, we congratulate you;
To those whose relationship is distant & disappointing, we sit with you;
To those who have lost their mothers this year, we grieve with you;
To those who have been abused by your mothers, we acknowledge your experience;
To those who have aborted children, we remember them and you on this day; 
To those who are step-mothers, we recognize your complex paths;
To those who had longed to be married, we feel your disppointment;
To those who dreamed in vain of doting on grandchildren, we grieve with you;
To those who have emptier nests this year, we share your sadness... and your joy;
To those who have met the varied tests of motherhood; we are stronger for it;
To those who are pregnant with new life, we anticipate with you.
On this Mother's Day, we thank God for your blessings when they were there, for your strength when blessings were nowhere to be found and, we embrace you. Amen.