Dear Friends in Christ,
Sunday is Mothers’ Day, which is perhaps the most emotionally complex day on the calendar. I
am well aware of the land mines for those of us who never had children, those of us who have
lost our mothers, those who were not the mother we wanted to be or did not have the mother
we needed to have.
But Mothers’ Day does offer a beautiful reminder: that the work of caring for children is
worthy, and it should be work we all share. One of the blessings of Christian community, in my
mind, is that all the children in this place belong to all of us. There is no turning the other way
when a child is lost, scared, or simply at loose ends. Our children are our shared responsibility
and our shared joy. (In case you want confirmation of this, turn to the liturgy for baptism. Will
you do all in your power to support this person in his life in Christ? We will!)
And—because we are Christian, it is not just the children of this parish who belong to us. It is
the children of this world. They are among the “least of these” whom Jesus demands we care for.
You don’t have to look far to figure out how to do this. Casa Chirilagua is recruiting volunteers
to work with young people in this neighborhood. Our outreach team is launching the Haiti
Micah campaign today, which allows us to support education for children in Mirebalais. And of
course many of our efforts—like the food pantry—especially support families with young children.
The ten commandments tell us to honor our fathers and mothers. I suggest we do that not only
by loving the people close to us, but also by loving the young people of our world who need our care.
Yours in Christ,
Anne+