Her children rise up and praise
her; her husband, too, extols her. (Proverbs 31:28)
The
foundation of Mother's Day can be traced back to the time of the ancient Greeks
and Romans. Nevertheless, its origins can also be found in the United Kingdom
where a Mothering Sunday was commemorated before reaching the United States.
Its
observance shows how much a sibling loves her/his love, articulating towards a mother
the love she deserves.
This
commemoration of Mother's Day today reaches roughly 46 countries, on different
dates, and an exceptionally well-liked day by millions and millions of people
across the world, taking the day to honor their mothers, to show gratitude for
giving them life, for nourishing them, for being their perpetual support, and
for being their mother.
The ancient
well-known account of Mother's Day dates back to the primeval annual spring
festival that the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses, to honor Rhea, wife
of Cronus and the mother of many gods of Greek mythology.
Likewise,
Ancient Romans commemorated a spring festival, called Hilaria, dedicated to
Cybele, a mother goddess. Observances in honor of Cybele started approximately
250 years before Jesus Christ was born. Observed on the Ides of March, offerings
in the Temple of Cybele continued for three days which also included games and
processions.
Early
Christians commemorated a day to honor mothers. Formerly, the memorial was to
honor the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ, but the holiday was later expanded
in England to include all mothers. Hence, the observance was called Mothering
Sunday.
More recent account of Mother's Day occurred in
England during the 1600s. A Mothering Sunday was taken yearly on the fourth
Sunday of Lent to pay tribute to mothers. Children gave gifts and flowers for
their mothers after a prayer service in church, to honor Virgin Mary. Persuaded
by their employers, servants, apprentices, and other employees who were away from home visit and honor their mothers.
The
yearly tradition of celebrating Mothering Sunday almost became extinct by the
19th century. Nevertheless, the day surfaced to be celebrated once more, after World War II, when American servicemen
re-established the tradition and made use of it as an occasion to augment
sales.
Activist
and social worker Mrs. Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis motivated her daughter Anna
Jarvis to articulate her desire that sooner or later all mothers should be
recognized and celebrated. Although she neither get hitched nor had any
children, Anna Jarvis is recognized as the initial founder of Mother's Day in
the United States. She is known as the Mother of Mother's Day, a suitable title
for someone who put herself out to see the day of honoring mothers being remembered.
When
her mother passed away in 1905, Anna promised to fulfill her mother's wish of
having a universal celebration for mothers. She sent carnation flowers to honor
her mother, as they were her mother's favorite flower and felt that they signified
a mother's pure love. Along with her supporters, she wrote letters to people
who had the power to make the official declaration of a Mother's Day holiday.
By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state and on May 8, 1914,
President Wilson signed a Joint Resolution which chose the second Sunday of May
as Mother's Day.
Nowadays,
Mother's Day is observed in several countries including Philippines, China,
Japan, US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Italy,
Turkey, to name a few. It turns out to be commercialized to a great extent. The
celebration has become so widely held that, in several countries, phone lines
experience maximum bottleneck. Also the tradition of presents like flowers, chocolates,
cards, and the like, has been adopted for Mother's Day, which is grabbed by the
florists, card manufacturers, gift sellers and advertisers as huge business
potential to generate money.
Whatever presents that a sibling could give, the Mother’s Day is
not meant for commercialism or to spawn money, but the day to express gratitude
to all mothers, for their love despite the siblings’ imperfect world, their
support despite their occasional helplessness , and for, quite simply in one
word, being a mother. It's all about recognizing mothers. HONORING mothers
through Mother's Day is Biblical in its context, as the Scripture re-echoes:
“Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you” (Exodus
20:12). Jesus honors His mother even up to the point of His
death, when the Scripture affirms: “When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple
there whom He loved, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your
Son." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And
from that hour the disciple took her into His home.” (John 19:25-27)
References:
1). Mothers
Day History, http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-history.html
2). Catholic
Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM), 5/9/2012 (5 years ago), Catholic
Online (www.catholic.org)
http://www.catholic.org/news/hf/family/story.php?id=46113
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