Mothers

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Since it was a Sunday, I didn't open my Facebook page (it is sort of a personal discipline for me that I don't use the internet on Sundays) and missed a wonderful message from a dear friend:
"Mother's day is a wonderful time for each of us to take a moment and honor motherhood. Motherhood is not merely defined by the bearing and raising of children but is rather a statement regarding the divine nature of women. All women, whether or not they bear children, can fulfill the role of mothers. The work they do should also be remembered as we celebrate Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day ..., thank you for all that you do and for taking good care of our youth...the hope of our future, the future of our Church. God bless always."

I pray that all women may not renounce their unique privilege of being mothers, God's collaborators in creating life and in making it grow. 
May we look at our children as God's gifts, not as product of our arrogant and sophisticated intelligence.
May we respect our children as unique individuals with a life of their own, not as trophies to banner around when we want to. 
May we patiently teach our children, first through our life and then through words, that life has a purpose that is found only in a true relationship with God.
May we be guardians of life, of each person's equal right to it, despite the gloomy external circumstances.
May we be expressions of the God who delights at our happiness and wipes away the tears when we are heartbroken.