Spiritual Formation

Mothers Day

"A world that looks to the future without a mother’s gaze is shortsighted." — Pope Francis, January 2019

This Mother’s Day, we reflect with gratitude and reverence on the unique role that mothers and mother figures play in shaping our lives, our communities, and our world. At a time when we pause to honour them, we also mourn the recent passing of Pope Francis, whose deep reverence for maternal love and wisdom was a hallmark of his papacy. His words continue to echo with urgency and tenderness in a world yearning for compassion, unity, and care.

The mother’s gaze, so deeply attuned, so instinctively compassionate, grounds us. It comforts, challenges, and calls us toward growth. It is offered not only by biological mothers, but also by grandmothers, aunts, adoptive and foster mothers, some fathers, and countless others who embody maternal care in our lives. They say "yes" daily to nurture, to guide, to love unconditionally.

Today’s world presents new complexities: ongoing global conflict, the refugee crisis, economic instability, and environmental uncertainty. Yet in these very challenges, we continue to witness the strength of mothers. We see it in women fleeing war zones with children in their arms; in mothers navigating the demands of work and home; in caregivers advocating fiercely for the vulnerable. Their love is fierce, practical, sacrificial, and unrelenting.

We turn also to Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the model of maternal courage and trust. Mary said "yes" to God, not in comfort, but amid uncertainty. Her journey - across borders, through suffering, and into the unknown - mirrors the path many mothers walk today. Her gaze, full of steadfast love and hope, continues to inspire our own gaze outward toward others, especially the marginalised.

In one of his final reflections, Pope Francis reminded us that maternal tenderness is not a luxury, but a necessity for our collective future. Without it, we risk becoming a society of strangers, rich in things but poor in love. It is mothers and all who love with a mother’s heart, who teach us to see others not as burdens or threats, but as brothers and sisters, children of God.

This Sunday, we honour all those who have mothered us; those who are with us, those who are far, and those we carry in memory. Let us give thanks for their sacrifices, their strength, and their love. Let us reflect on how we too can embody the maternal qualities of patience, compassion, and fierce hope in our daily lives.

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How will you say thank you this Mother’s Day?
How will you honour those who have said "yes" to love?