Message: Rooted in Love / Psalm 23 & John 10:22-30

Today, we gather to celebrate Christian Family Sunday and Mother's Day. It is a time to give thanks for mothers and all who care for others with a mother’s love. It is also a time to reflect on the truth that we belong to one big family, rooted in the love of Christ. We remember the gentle hands that helped us, the warm words that encouraged us, and the compassionate actions that taught us how to love.

More than a hundred years ago, the writer Lew Wallace said in his book Ben-Hur, “God could not be everywhere, and therefore, he made mothers.” Later, a newspaper in the States added with a smile, “God could not be everywhere so he created grandmothers.” Of course, we know that God is everywhere, but these words still hold deep wisdom: God shows love through people, especially those who care for others with patience, tenderness, and courage.

Many of you may have seen a large spider sculpture in front of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. It is called Maman, which means "Mother" in French. The artist, Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010), created it from bronze, steel, and marble. Standing over 30 feet tall and wide, it makes a striking impression.

Bourgeois created this sculpture to honour her mother, Josephine, who repaired old tapestries in Paris. She once said, “The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.”

This sculpture stands tall on thin bronze legs. Though the legs look delicate, the spider carries a strong body, and underneath it is a pouch with marble eggs. It seems as if the spider is doing her best to protect the eggs. This is a sign of mothering care. The spider may appear fragile, but she is strong. Even if someone damages her web, she does not give up. She rebuilds. While many people may fear spiders because of their appearance, they too show great love for their young.

This giant mother spider stands not only in Ottawa, but also in many other countries, including the United Kingdom, Korea, Japan, Qatar, and Spain. This reminds us that, though people come from many different places and cultures, the love we feel for our mothers is something we all understand. 

In the same way, Jesus shows us the love of God. Today’s Bible readings invite us to reflect on the ministry of Jesus as the care of a shepherd. Psalm 23 begins, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” Sheep know the voice of their shepherd, and that voice leads them to green pastures and still waters.

Think about the first voices we ever heard. Before we could walk, we heard a mother or someone who mothered us whisper, “Sleep now, little one.” We heard comfort in the dark. We heard laughter that made us laugh too. These voices taught us how to trust.

Jesus also heard the voice of his mother, Mary. The Bible tells us how she cared for him. Even though her pregnancy could have led to a death sentence in her time, Mary did not give up her child. She received him as a gift from God. And as Jesus grew, Mary loved him just as he was, even when he surprised her or acted in unusual ways. One time, she lost him for three days in Jerusalem, and it made her very anxious. When she finally found him, Jesus said, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” When she heard this, she did not ignore or judge his words. Even though she did not fully understand what he meant, she kept his words in her heart.

Mary's love and care were the foundation of Jesus' ministry and teaching, which revealed God's unconditional love. Because of this, Jesus could speak of God using the language of family. Most people in his time used only formal names for God, but Jesus called God “Father” in a loving and intimate way, which would have surprised many. Also, Jesus did not describe the Father God as a powerful and strict patriarch, but as someone full of forgiveness and unconditional love, like a mother. 

At the same time, there is something important we should be mindful of today. Not everyone grows up with a loving mother. Some have lost their mothers. Some were raised by fathers or other caregivers. Some did not feel safe at home. But mothering love is not limited to biology. God's love keeps coming to us in many ways. This is good news. When we were babies, we could not choose our family. Yet that situation could not determine our future. God's love and grace can come not only through our biological family, but also through the church, through neighbours, and through friends. It comes through the wide family of God.

The first followers of Jesus were Jewish. At first, they believed that Jesus came only for their own people. But as they experienced God's love through the Holy Spirit in their faith community, their hearts began to change. They came to see that God's love is for everyone. God's family includes all people, not just those connected by blood.

Our church stands in that same spirit. Christian Family Sunday reminds us that we are called to be a church where everyone can belong and be loved. When we weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, we help shape this community into a welcoming home. And when our congregation becomes a sanctuary for those who long for God’s love, our deep wounds become beautiful signs that suffering and despair cannot determine our destiny and there is always the possibility for change and new life.

Today we stand in a long line of loving care from Mary’s care for Jesus, to Jesus’ love for his followers, to the ways that love has been passed down through the generations and now reaches us. It is our joyful calling to carry that love forward. May we offer our grateful hearts to our mothers and those who mother us. And may we never forget that our congregation is rooted in love - the love of our Good Shepherd who leads us green pastures and still waters and the love of the Maman spider who patiently weaves broken webs and protects her young. 

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge