30th March 25

“Is this your son?” 

That’s the question that the blind man's mother is asked in our reading from John's gospel this morning.

It’s a question that we could ask of several mothers in the Bible. Is this your Son?

This is Mothering Sunday and this is a joyful day for many but it also can be a difficult day.  Today, some may remember our mums who have departed this world, some mums may have lost a child, some may have had uncomfortable or abusive relationships; some may be unable to have children, and others may feel judged because they chose not to. 

The Bible speaks of mothers who have found themselves in difficult situations.

Think of Moses’ mother who by faith gave him up as a small baby, placing him in a basket in the river Nile. In a beautiful twist of fate, she was able to nurse her son Moses, experiencing the joy of caring for her child, but she knew that she would have to give him up eventually and kept the painful secret that he was her son. 

Hannah was a mum who could not have a child and she longed for one and in her older age she was blessed with a child, a child that she prayed for, and she knew that one day, she would have to give her child to God, and that he would be raised under the influence of the priest Eli.

It’s not so long ago that young, single girls would have seen their child brought up as their sibling. Imagine the suffering of watching the child grow up but never being able to be the parent. Perhaps you’ve watched the film, Philomena? The story tells of a young single girl in Ireland, forced to give up her son. Her pain lasted her whole life. Yes, Mother's day can be difficult for some.

Today, on Mother's Sunday, we think of the mother of Jesus, Mary. We know that from his birth, she had an inkling that something tragic would happen. The circumstances of her pregnancy were astounding and the presentation of the child in the Temple caused the aged prophet Simeon to say that a sword would pierce her soul (Luke 2:35).

 

This happened at the Cross and when Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home - John 19:26 – 27

Jesus' concern was always for others, and especially his mum who was precious to him and it's his mum who stands at the foot of the Cross grieving her son's death.

In Proverbs 31, there is a picture of a faithful wife and a good mum.

 

She gets up while it is still night;

    she provides food for her family

    and portions for her female servants.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;

    she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,

    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household

    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;

    her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ “Many women do noble things,

    but you surpass them all.”

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹ Honour her for all that her hands have done,

    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Our gospel reading today, the man who was born blind and who had his eyes opened by Jesus was interrogated before the religious leaders. He was put in the spotlight and asked about who performed the miracle to open his eyes and give him sight.

He said, “I don’t know who he was, all I know is that once I was blind but now, I can see!”

They weren’t satisfied with his answers and so they called his parents in and asked them, is this your son?

Can you imagine the challenges that his mum had from his birth, he would have been totally dependent on her; she would have been his eyes and how difficult it would be for her to let him go, to have independence.

There is so much to this story that we do not know. 

But I would like to think that she was a mother who cared for her son – a mum who was with him in his life's journey. The authorities seemed to find the couple easily and she came before them to bear witness to her son. 

I would like to think that she was a mother who had faith – we are told that she was afraid of being shut out of the synagogue; think of the stigma attached to this; perhaps it was her faith that sustained all these years of her son's challenges in life.

I would like to think that she was a mother who took responsibility for her son. She was there for him in literally his darkest hours – who knows, perhaps that day she placed him in the way of Jesus; in the way of the healer; this was her opportunity to have her son given his sight. She knew that he would be passing that way!

Let's not overlook the importance of this mother to her needy son.

How did the mum feel when her son could see for the first time in his life? Her life would change; all these years hoping and praying that God would send a healer to give her son sight and now its happened. 

Jesus proclaimed to be the light of the world, and that those walking in darkness have seen a great light and that light was shining now into the darkness of the people of God, and he was bringing people to see God in a new way. This blind man certainly did both physically and spiritually.

The blind man gradually came to faith – look at his steps from seeing Jesus as simply a man who healed him, then to being a prophet and finally to being the Lord, it’s a remarkable journey of faith!

One of the many joys that I have had over the last 8 years and even longer is watching my two daughters growing as mums, and it's fascinating to see, the different ways and methods that they consciously or subconsciously use to mould, coerce, at times cajole and seek to develop their children, into being good, caring and loving young people. I'm sure many of us have been there over the years, with our children or grandchildren, and it seems no time since me and Susan were doing this with our girls!

Last week, Kirsty was down at Bishopbriggs Cross with Jack who is 6 and in P1 and Harry who is 8 in P3, and she was on her way to take Jack for his Spanish lessons in Balmuildy Hall. 

Harry realised that he didn’t want to sit an hour waiting for Jack at Spanish lessons, and he knew that this dad was at home, so he said, “Mum can I walk through the park and go home myself?”, they live on Brackenbrae Avenue, just behind the golf club, at the top end of the park.

So, Kirsty had a dilemma, Is he ready to walk home himself? Can I trust him? Will he be safe walking through Bishopbriggs Park?

This is something that all parents face at some point, how we would love to wrap up our children, and keep them at our side, so that we watch them every step of their life journey. But surely that’s doing a dis-service to them, they need to learn to walk on their own two feet and make their own choices. 

It's interesting how mother eagles teach their young to fly; after 10-12 weeks of being in the nest, they slowly make it a bit uncomfortable for the chicks to stay in the nest, breaking a few twigs; then they let the eaglets observe them in action, leaving and arriving onto the nest; the nests are large, so the eaglets can practice opening their wings and preparing for flight.

When her instincts tell her that eaglets have matured enough, the mother eagle encourages them one by one to the edge of the nest, high up in the trees, and with a gentle nudge allows them to fly.

As the young eaglet flutters and flaps it wings, its parents follow, keeping a watchful eye on their young fledglings, to be in hand if anything goes wrong.

It’s a wonderful picture of parenthood, of preparing our children for life. Birds have so much to teach us about life skills.

One wonders if the mother eagle feel the thrill of satisfaction and joy at watching their eaglets launch themselves successfully into the big, wide world, growing into the next stage of eagle life as God intended.  

So, returning to my story, Kirsty phones her mum Susan to ask what she thought, should she allow Harry to walk through the park. Always a good place to go for help, ask someone you trust who has been there before and who better than your mum. Susan thought she should let him go, knowing that his dad was on hand at home to receive him.

So, Harry sets out on his mission, to cross Bishopbriggs Park for the first time. Unknown to Harry, Kirsty is on the phone to her husband Kevin, she tells him, that their son is coming through the park by himself, could he keep an eye out for him.

Harry cannot see his dad and no doubt Harry feels that he has been given responsibility to go himself.

Kevin watches closely from a distance, high on the hill and sees his boy skipping and singing, as he walks through the path to go home. He sees every step of his son's journey and as his son gets nearer home, he nips into his house for Harry's arrival. When Harry arrives, Harry rings the doorbell and his dad answers, and Kevin, says “Son, you never need to ring the door bell, this is your home and the door is always open to you!”

I share this little story with you, for it reminds us of several important things connected to the Christian faith. There are times in our lives when we have to step out in faith, either voluntarily or thrust upon us; times when we have to leave the security of our family or friends or material possessions. But we do so in the knowledge that we have a God who has his watchful eye on us. We do not see him, as Harry did not know his dad was watching him crossing the park, but that’s faith, and so we can go forward in confidence, knowing and trusting that the journey that we are on in this life is leading us to our eternal home, where we have all the privileges of being a child of the Most High God and on this journey our God has his eye on us. 

On this Mother's Sunday, where are we in relationship to our God who comes to us in his grace and mercy; who comes to us, watching us from afar who is there when we ring the bell, and says, “Come on in, you don’t have to ring the bell this is your home, you are always welcome”.

Have you rung the bell yet? Have you tried the door? God is waiting and you'll be surprised at his response, he is more willing to forgive than we are to ask.

On this Mothering Sunday, let us return home again, home to the love and mercy of our compassionate God; who is willing to meet us and welcome us into his home.

No matter where you find yourself, whether you identify with Moses’ mother, with Philomena, with Mary, or with the blind man's mother, we are assured that we have a saviour who loves us deeply, the best of all parents, the most compassionate God.

Frances Crosby was a blind Christian hymn writer and she composed so many wonderful hymns, one of her best is the one were going to sing now.

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long.

2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,

visions of rapture now burst on my sight.

Angels descending bring from above

echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.

I in my Saviour am happy and bless’d,

watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with his goodness, lost in his love.