As we approach Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, it is good to note that the concept of honoring mothers has an ancient history. However, the modern day holiday has its origins in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.
After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.
Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood (from History.com).
I highlight the fact that this holiday was promoted by someone who herself was not a mother yet could recognize the sacrifices mothers made. I would also argue that many women perform maternal functions even though they are not biological mothers. Aunts, cousins, teachers, and coaches often serve as mother figures to those under their care and make sacrifices for them.
In the animal kingdom there are many examples of animals adopting the young of other species and being mothers to them: a dog nurturing days-old kittens, a cat sheltering ducklings, even a lioness caring for a baby baboon that got separated from its mother.
During this month dedicated to the Blessed Mother and as we look forward to celebrating Mother’s Day, perhaps we should strive to be more maternal and nurturing whether we area biological mother or not. Each of us needs to become more open to the gifts of the Spirit who calls us to care for one another, shelter one another, build up one another, and ultimately love one another as Christ has loved us.
Happy Mother’s Day to all who serve in a maternal capacity.