An Imperfect Mother's Day

"I am the vine, and my Father is the vine grower," said Jesus. "Just like a branch can't give fruit unless it's attached to the vine, you can't do anything without me. Anyone who doesn't stay close to me will wither away like a dead branch. But if you stick with me, you'll be my follower and give fruit."

Mother's Day is almost here - but while some kids are busy making art projects or writing poems for their moms, other kids aren't so lucky. They don't have mothers or don't get along well with their mothers. For them, Mother's Day can be painful.

For a kid unhappy about Mother's Day, this week's Gospel (John 15:1-8) might be a little comforting. In it, Jesus talks about the one and only person no one can live without: God.

Losing your mother in any way, even if you're just not close to each other, is hard for any kid. You want to have the kind of Mother's Day you see on TV commercials, but you know you won't.

In a way, it's comforting to know that Jesus didn't say, "You can't recover from losing your mom." He didn't say people can't survive without being close to their mothers; He said that people need God.

"I am the vine, and you are the branches," was Jesus' message: that God the Father sent Him to help people get close to God. Jesus also pointed out that having God in your life isn't just a good idea; it's a need. People without God struggle more. Jesus used the example of fruit that falls off a tree: It can't grow any more than it already has.

But Jesus promised that people who follow Him will have God to lean on during all the tough times - even if they don't have their mothers.

(05/07/09)