Try to call God the Mother, and you may feel awkward. In fact, God is beyond gender, neither male nor female, but we have traditionally called God Heavenly Father. I think that if God is expressed with the metaphor father, it must also be possible to describe God as the metaphor mother.
I sometimes feel God is like my father, who emphasized the discipline of his children, and other times God is like my mother, who was generous toward her children. However, each of us has different experiences of our parents. For example, those who had been abused by their fathers/mothers may not have good feelings as they call God the Father/Mother. Therefore, it is not right to say, “This is the only way to call God.”
I am not saying that all of us should call God the Mother, but that we may use any metaphor based on our own experiences. I often feel the Holy Spirit, the Sustainer, like my mother, who was quiet and patient, who was gentle but strong inside, and who was not spectacular but wise. In addition, she was always with me, especially when I was in difficulties. So, I call the Holy Spirit God the Mother, while I say God the Father the Creator and God the Son the Redeemer. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I wanted to recognize the mothering God.
Because of scientific and technological advances, we live a convenient life, but we have lost a lot of precious things, as well. One of them is the intimate relationship with our parents. We used to be faithful to the Bible verses, like “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12) or “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord” (Colossians 3:20).
I would like to remind you that you may not have much time to be with your mother. Time goes fast, and when you want to treat her well, you may not see her again in the world. It may be too late when you realize that your mom has passed away. And if your mother has already died, recall what she said to you, and what she wanted you to do. And remember her instructions in your life and tell your children about her. Your mother will be resurrected through your life and your children’s lives.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 8th, let us express our gratitude to our mothers: Thank you, mom! You are great! Happy Mothers’ Day!
Sungmu Lee