This Sunday, as we gather on Mother’s Day, we hear Jesus speaking tenderly to his disciples in what we call the Farewell Discourse. These words are instructional, but they are also deeply personal. Jesus is preparing the people he loves for life after his physical presence is no longer with them. Like a parent who wants to make sure the children know what matters most before they step into the next chapter, Jesus gathers his disciples close and reminds them that they will not be abandoned. He says, “I will not leave you orphaned,” offering them the promise of God’s abiding presence through the Holy Spirit.
That promise feels especially meaningful on Mother’s Day. For many, this day is full of gratitude, flowers, phone calls, and memories of women who loved us, raised us, taught us, corrected us, prayed for us, and helped us become who we are. For others, this day is complicated, marked by grief, longing, loss, infertility, strained relationships, or the ache of a mother no longer here. Into all of that, Jesus speaks a word of comfort. We are not left alone. The Spirit comes as Advocate, Helper, Comforter, and Counselor, reminding us that we are loved, especially in the moments when we feel most unlovable.
The Farewell Discourse reminds us that love does not end when someone is no longer standing in front of us. Love abides. It remains in the stories we carry, the lessons we practice, the faith we pass on, and the community we build together. The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us, calling us to live the story of Jesus with courage, tenderness, and hope. This Mother’s Day, we give thanks for every person who has shown us that kind of abiding love: mothers, grandmothers, aunties, mentors, teachers, church ladies, neighbors, and friends. And we remember that the deepest source of that love is God, who gathers us in, holds us close, and never leaves us orphaned.
Grace and peace because grace always goes before peace,
Pastor Sharon