There are many kinds of mothers. Early Christian writers often described the church as a “mother”— a powerful image of one who receives the Word of God and gives birth to spiritual children. From the beginning, the church has also recognized the vital role of spiritual mothers — women who nurture, nourish, and help to navigate others through their spiritual journey.
Several spiritual mothers come to mind, like Saint Teresa of Ávila and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who each embodied this calling in distinct ways. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a prolific writer who used her gifts to inspire spiritual reform and healthy church growth. Mother Teresa of Calcutta ministered directly to those in poverty, founding homes and offering compassion to the marginalized.
Another example is Mother Maria of Paris, who cared for Russian exiles in France after the Bolshevik Revolution — many of whom were institutionalized simply because they could not speak French. She wrote about humanity’s “unchosen connectedness,” reflecting on how the Blessed Virgin Mary had no choice but to suffer alongside her Son at the Cross. In the same way, Mother Maria of Paris said, the church cannot help but feel the pain of others. In her work The Second Gospel Commandment, she wrote that the Gospel — the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ — is brought to life in the church through the bonds of Christ’s love and our love for one another. The church as a mother is a vision of maternal connectedness: inseparable from all, and seeking the good of all through the Gospel.
Of course, there are countless other spiritual mothers whose names are not recorded in history books or headlines. These are the women who walk among us — tending to our wounds when we fall, nourishing our bodies, hearts and minds, and guiding us from spiritual adolescence to maturity. Sometimes, a spiritual mother is simply the woman who smiles as we pass her on the street in Edmonds, reminding us that we are seen.
Today, let us recognize and honor all the mothers in our lives.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Dr. Tiffany Ann Butler is a Writer in Residence at Holy Trinity Edmonds
Holy Trinity Edmonds
657 Daley St, Edmonds, WA 98020
425-672-7795
Worship with us Saturdays at 6 pm | Sundays at 10 am
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