I was blessed with the gift of motherhood 13 1/2 years ago when Tess was born. Almost two years later Timmy arrived, and about 4 1/2 years after that Andrew.

            Before I became a mother I was a Microbiologist working in a hospital laboratory. My life was very structured. I can remember about 2 weeks into motherhood after my husband Matt went back to work and my Mom returned to her home 2 1/2 hours away, and the visits from friends had just about stopped, I thought to myself "Now What?" This baby as beautiful as she was did not come with instructions or a procedure manual. I was on my own! So I did what any good scientist would do I researched.....I must have read every parenting magazine and book that was ever published! Well, my research was rather inconclusive so I eventually gave up and decided to just wing it.

            When Fr. Frank asked me to speak today I agreed but then I thought how am I going to speak about this because here I am 13 years later and I am still basically getting through every day on a wing and a prayer! And then it hit me; the realization that the best advice on being a good mother does not come from a magazine or the latest best selling book. It has been sitting on my side table all along! It comes right out of the Gospel stories . If you really stop and think about each and every time Mary, Our Blessed Mother is specifically mentioned in the Gospel. You come away with a powerful example of what being a mother is all about.

            Mary first teaches us to accept the child God sends into our life, just as she did when the Angel Gabriel came to her. Mary then teaches us to take the time to savor all the memories and emotions of becoming a mother whether it is for the first time or the umpteenth time. St. Luke tells us how Mary pondered these things in her heart. Savor those innocent years because in today's world they go by way too fast.

            Mary teaches us to bring our babies to Church just as she and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Father. Babies belong here and as Father Frank always tells us they are welcome here!  If they grow up in Church they will always feel comfortable in Church!

            Mary teaches us to protect our children from the evil in this world. Even if it means getting up in the middle of the night and leaving everything in your life behind to start over in a safer place for this is what she and Joseph had to do when they went to Egypt to protect Jesus from Herod. The evil in today's world may be different but it is just as real as it was for them. Listen for that inner voice that tells you when something is not good for your child. Don't be afraid to go against the crowd and be the one to say no!

            Mary teaches us we must seek out our children when they are lost or wander away, as she searched for the 12 year old Jesus when He became lost. She also teaches us to question our children and listen to them.   Give them a chance to explain themselves. When Mary found Jesus in the temple she asked Him" Why did you do this?" She gave Him an opportunity to explain His actions. Discipline without discussion in older children is wasted and meaningless. We too should give our children a chance to explain their actions. For this helps them to learn and grow and to understand their actions can have consequences as well as rewards.

            The next time the Blessed Mother is mentioned in the Gospel Jesus is a grown man and has just begun to gather followers around Him. It is the wedding feast at Cana. Here Mary teaches us that sometimes we must give our children the little nudge they need to go out on their own and become the person God has meant for them to become.   She nudged Jesus right into performing His first miracle even though He said it was not yet time!

            Next comes the hardest lesson of all. At some point we must step back and let our children take charge of their own lives. We don't hear much about Mary in the middle of the Gospel stories. So like her we need to not be controlling, dominant or overbearing. Trust that God will guide them but pray like crazy for them that their hearts will always remain open to God. Be there for them when they need you even in their most difficult hour; for Mary stood by her son during His pain, suffering and death. It caused her great pain to watch Jesus suffer and die but she did not abandon Him. She was right there with Him through it all to the very end. And now she enjoys a very special place along side her Son in heaven.

            May God bless us all and give us the grace we need to help us be good mothers just like Mary. She stands with all of us and is always there to lend support and guidance, Ask her to pray with you for your child and she will be there just as she was there for Jesus. Happy Mothers’ Day!

Talk given by Rita Austin on the occasion of the 9:30 am Mass, Mothers’ Day, May 11, 2008