Mother's Day 2008

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there! What better way can we spend this beautiful sunny Mother’s Day then by visiting those women who raised us and taught us those values that we have come to cherish and hopefully we have taught to others (that and watching the Jazz beat the Lakers in overtime to tie the series at two a piece). We each show appreciation to our mothers in various different ways; some by gifts, others by cards and flowers, and others by a simple “I Love You,” to each his own. Sometimes though, like many other internationally-recognized commercial holidays, I feel we lose track of what this day really means. Let’s take a quick trip back in time.

Contrary to popular belief Mother's Day was not created by Hallmark. Mother’s Day is internationally recognized as a day to honor those very special women who not only gave us life but also raised us despite the huge inconvenience it created in their lives. Among the many different nations Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days of the May (and sometimes different months) but the majority of them focus on the value of honoring mothers. Mother’s Day has different origins in different countries. It is believe to have originally started in Greece where the goddess Cybele, the Greek great mother of gods, was honor each Vernal Equinox. That celebration later was celebrated through out Asia Minor and Rome. The Romans also held a Mother’s Day of their own known as “Matronalia” that was dedicated to the goddess Juno.

Going back farther into time we learn that mothers were celebrated in ancient Israel. The fifth commandment given to Moses is that of “honor thy father and thy mother.” The Lord didn’t specify to Moses on which particular day they should be honored. Jacob (later known as Israel) named his last born son Benjamin (‘son of the right hand”) to honor his then dying wife Rachel. The Old Testament is filled with countless stories of righteous mothers and the influences they had in their children’s lives; Hannah, mother of Samuel, being one example. The final verses of the Proverbs are dedicated to the qualities of a righteous mother. In the New Testament we find the teaching of the Savior concerning his own mortal mother and the care and love that He showed unto her. If we go back to the beginning we learn that Eve's name is derived from the fact the she is "the mother of all living."

In the British Isles there is a Sunday known as “Mothering Sunday” which falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The saints celebrate this Sunday by visiting their “mother church” (home ward) thus reuniting the families. It is believed that this started during the 16^th century. Due to its Catholic origin the day is also used to celebrate Mary and the Mother Church.

The U.S. tradition was very loosely inspired by the British tradition but came around during the time of the American Civil War. It was not an attempt to recognize mothers but an attempt to improve sanitation. It was started by Ann Jarvis in 1859 and she wanted to improve the sanitation for soldiers and workers for both sides. She called the day “Mother’s Work Day.” Her work inspired another woman, Julia Ward Howe, in 1870 to write what is called the “Mother’s Day Proclamation” (referenced later) as a call for mothers to rise up and promote peace. Although her attempts for “Mothers Day of Peace” failed, Howe’s work would influence many others. After the death of Ann Jarvis, her daughter, Anna Jarvis, would continue mom’s crusade in gaining recognition for women. It started in 1907 when she passed out 500 carnations to the women of her local community in Grafton, West Virginia. One year later of May 10, 1908 the first Mother’s Day was celebrated at that same church where Jarvis had passed out the flowers. The day of Sunday was chosen to represent this special occasion because of its sacredness among Christians. The tradition spread quickly among 46 states and President Wilson declared it an national holiday in 1914.

Unfortunately, nine years later, corporate America got hold of the idea that this sacred day could be exploited for a profit. Jarvis then became an opponent to what Mother’s Day had become. Here are a few stats on the amount of money spent on Mother’s Day: it is the most popular day to dine out ($3.51 billion), $2.6 billion dollars are spent on flowers alone with another $1.53 billion spent on pampering gifts with $68 million spent on cards. 7.8% of the jewelries annual income is generated from this day. Ironically enough, the first Mother’s Day held back in West Virginia was originally financed by a clothing company.

Now I’m not saying Mother’s Day is a bad thing, in fact its origins are that of noble character. However, to the world, it has become another day of record breaking profits. Let us not only take back Mother’s Day and celebrate it for its true purpose, but also remember that these women deserved to be honored every day of the year. They gave (give) us of their very best and ask nothing in return. It is our mothers that have the greatest influence on our lives and only should the Lord come before them in our lives. If there are any among you that have unjust reservations against your mothers I urge you to reconcile those differences. Also, Mothers, the same for you...reconcile your differences with your children even if you are not to blame. I close with Howe’s “Mother’s Day Proclamation.”

“Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts,
Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.”

Julia Ward Howe, 1870

Happy Mother’s Day!