Mothers, we congratulate you and thank you today. We thank all mothers living and deceased for carrying us in their bodies for nine months, sometimes with much suffering and stress. My mother gave birth to five children. After the birth of her second child she was given the last rites and told not to have any more children. Four of her five pregnancies were very stressful and difficult, so much so that she died three months after the birth of her last child. We children sometimes forget the personal price our mother's paid during the months they carried us in their bodies.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul said to Barnabas "you must undergo many hardships" Mothers, in the course of their lives undergo many hardships. Many of these hardships are related to raising their children and continue after children have left the home. At the end of the day, you may not feel appreciated. If this is your situation, know that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows what a good shepherd you have been and are to your children.

Guilt and Motherhood

Most, if not all mothers try to be good mothers. Yet many mothers feel a lot of guilt for failures along the way. If you carry guilt for past failures ask God's mercy and the forgiveness of the children you think you failed. If one is deceased, still ask his or her forgiveness and know that he/she will most certainly forgive you for your failures.

Many daughters carry guilt because of a poor relationship with their mothers. Perhaps you have failed them in several ways. If so, repent of this sin and ask God's mercy and the forgiveness of your mother whether living or deceased. Sometimes, it is not possible to heal a broken relationship with ones mother. In some cases, a mother may be most difficult person to deal with. In this situation, the best wisdom I can offer you is found in the Serenity Prayer.

Also, on this Mother's day, we remember in prayer women who very much want to have a child but that prayer is not being answered. Yours also is a big cross and you are in our prayers.