A Priest's Mother

Giving thanks for mother’s love on her birthday

06/02/2020

2 Peter 3:12-15A, 17-18 Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation. Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Today, June 2, is my mom’s birthday, so I just want to take a moment and say “thank you, mom” for so many ways she has blessed my life. A priest always feels a special and intimate connection to his mother, like the closeness between Jesus, the first priest, and his mother, Mary. Who can fathom the depths of their discussions? It’s also because a priest’s mother has no competition for her son’s affection, that is, she doesn’t have to deal with a daughter-in-law. A priest’s mother is always his number one fan. I have a habit of recording my homilies and I always send them to her. She replies with glowing praise of my preaching, no matter how often it puts the people in the pews to sleep. So, I don’t really care what you think; my mom loves my homilies!

In a sense, no one knows a priest better than his mother does. I’ll never forget my mom’s advice when I was ordained. She warned: “Always wear your Roman collar; it will keep you out of trouble.” I wonder what she knew that I didn’t know? And so now, even though people invite me over to dinner and say, “please come casually,” I always wear my Roman collar to dinner. My priestly collar has not always kept me out of trouble, but it sure has helped, and made me think twice before I did something stupid. Sawyer Brown sang: “I gotta thank momma for the cookin’, Daddy for the whuppin’, The devil for the trouble that I get into.”

A priest’s mother is the first person to nurture his priestly vocation, even though she may do it unknowingly. How so? Well, my mother has always been a powerhouse of prayer in our family. She always insisted we get dressed up and go to Mass every Sunday. My mom required the family to sit down and pray every night before we hit the hay. Even now when I go home to visit my parents, it’s my mom who pulls out the rosary every evening and lights the candles on the mantle in front of Jesus and Mary.

Do you think all those fervent prayers failed to produce a rich spiritual harvest, not only in my priestly vocation but in helping my brother and sister, and yes even my father, to stay close to Christ? If you have any doubts about the power of a mother’s prayers, read about St. Monica, who prayed for her wayward son, Augustine, who later became a bishop and one of the most brilliant minds the Church has even known. Mothers never stop praying for their children’s peace and happiness; and I’m grateful that my mother is a powerhouse of prayer for this poor priest.

It should come as no surprise, then, that one of the most ancient and admired images for the Catholic Church, is “Holy Mother Church.” The Church is our spiritual mother, who gives birth to us in baptism, clothes us in Confirmation with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the armor of God as we read in Ephesians 6, she feeds us with the bread of angels in the Eucharist (even better than chicken curry), she consoles and comforts us in confession and Anointing of the Sick, and she celebrates with us when we marry, and especially when we are ordained as her priests. How do I know that the Church cares for Christians like a good mother? I learned that from my own mother in the tender and yes sometimes tough love that she has shown unceasingly to me and my family.

Our first reading is from the second letter of St. Peter, our first pope. He, above all others, speaks on behalf of Holy Mother Church; that’s his specific responsibility: to be the voice of the Church. It’s easy to hear the voice of my mother in the words of Holy Mother Church, when Peter says: “Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” Peter’s prayer was also the prayer of Holy Mother Church for all her children. It perfectly echoes my own mother’s prayer for me and our family.

I wouldn’t be the person or the priest I am today if it wasn’t for the love of my mother. Happy birthday, mom! I love you! Do you think she’ll like this homily?

Praised be Jesus Christ!