Rowan’s Ramblings
God's Original Seatbelt … Mothers
John 13: 31-35

May 2008

Rowan’s Ramblings

How many of us remember what it was like to drive a car before seat belts? Before seat belts, parents could pack eight kids into a family car, ages one week to 18 years, with no restraining thoughts or devices. Today we have laws requiring children under four years and forty pounds to be buckled into some sort of child car seat. With the mandatory installation of airbags, no one under age of 12 is suppose to be in the front seat at all – for fear of the exploding air bag causing more injury than a crash.

Before all these mechanical safety devices, however, some of us grew up with a different kind of child-restraint system. Judith Viorst reminded her readers this when she wrote: "This year I received a Mother's Day card that pictured a mother driving a car, her son in the passenger seat and her outstretched arm protectively flung across his chest. I've heard a great deal from my sons about my overprotective tendencies but I think that this card's message said it best. The message said, 'To Mom, the original seat belt.' (Viorst, Imperfect Control: Our Lifelong Struggles With Power and Surrender [New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998] 157.)

A mom's protective reach has always been the saving seat belt for her family. But this seat belt takes a different form in different families.

For some, Mom offered the seat belt of continuous presence. At the door when they trudged off to school. Welcoming them home when they ran in the door. Putting every meal on the dining table. Cheering encouraging words at every game.

For some, Mom offered the seat belt of role model. A mom who always worked incredibly hard at her job, her church, her tennis, her family. A mom who put everything she had into all the things she did, regardless how important, or how trivial.

For some, Mom offered the seat belt of stability. In new schools, new homes, new challenges, new ideas, new lifestyles . . . but always mom.

For some, Mom offered a seat belt of gentleness. A spirit of love, forgiveness, tenderness, always accessible, always welcoming. Arms that wrapped around to provide a time-out, decompression space.

Jesus, Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God, didn't ask much--just that we be as open and accepting in our love as was the Divine, the Creator, the Lord God. When we participate in Christ's death and resurrection in baptism we invite Christ to be born into our soul. This risen Christ-within fills us with Christ-love, fills us with love that is, indeed, as Jesus himself loved us.

“Christ-love” is the seat belt on our spirit. The gentle binding on our heart and soul that lets us venture into dangerous territory, unknown challenges, and unfriendly circumstances without losing our love. The greatest love we can express is not mother's love or father's love, not romantic love or humanitarian love. The greatest love, which we are called by Christ to be filled with to overflowing, is "disciple love."

The most successful and adored parents have raised their children with disciple love. The most venerated and beatified servants of God have embodied disciple love. On Mother's Day, on any day, disciple love doesn't take a day off. It rejoices every day to have yet another chance to show itself to everyone.

Thanks be to God for our good Mothers.

Thanks be to God for “disciple love.”

See you Sunday, if not before,

Shalom,