My mother died a little more than ten years ago, quite tragically and suddenly. At first her presence seemed so far away, her soothing voice with its gentle mid-western accent, gone. But then about six months ago, in my heart and deep in my thoughts, I had a sense that suddenly she moved closer to me. Perhaps her purgation was at an end, or perhaps some roadblock in my own heart moved. But there she was, and once again I vividly felt her tender prayers. Thank you, Lord.
With Mother’s Day not far off, the following video showed up in my subscription list from Igniter Media. As the video shows, perfect mothers do not exist—real ones do. And it is the real ones who love and care for us. I learned so much from my mother, even in her struggles. She was my mother, the mother God wonderfully gave me, the mother whose sacrifices I could never number. She was so human and yet so godly, so down-to-earth and practical and yet so heavenly and spiritual. She was not a perfect mother, and I was not a perfect son. But she was perfectly my mother, and I was perfectly her son, in God’s design.
Enjoy this video.
My mom died just over two months ago. It has crushed me that I cannot feel her presence, that I don’t know where she is. That you felt the same thing, that you’re own mother’s presence was far away for a while consoles me some. I hope I don’t have to wait 10 years to feel her nearby me again.
Dear Bee bee, I know the pain can be overwhelming. Trust in your mother’s love for you, and Our Father’s love for her. I promise to pray for you, Michelle
Bless you, Michelle, for your kind words. Thank you for helping me to remember to trust – not only my mother’s love, but Our Father’s love for her as well. Thank you for your prayers.
Recently went to my mother’s tomb and prayed and wept for the times she experience pains and sufferings on her bouts of lung cancer the cause of her death. GOD Bless her soul. I love you, Mama.
Tears in my eyes from this video, from a mother with cluttered counters, unfolded laundry, and many apologies for my raised voice…but also a daughter whose mother died suddenly a year and a half ago, one who, like yours, Msgr., taught me so much from her struggles, her sacrifices, human and godly. As usual, your words were so good to read. Thank you, and God bless you!
This post made me think of my dad. For years after he died I would think that if he were still alive he would know what I should do. Then, one day, I realized that even if he were alive he probably wouldn’t know what I should do either. Recently, I had a similar experience, whatever that was all about, concerning my dad that you had with your mom. To my mind, to my belief, my dad was one of the alligator men:
Alligator Man — The Greenbriar Boys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aMQYSJuRr4
It has taken me many long years to come to a better place with the relationship I had with my mother. I am sorry for all those times I did not understand her struggles and probably added to them. I look forward to the day where perhaps I will be shown the love she had for me that I could not see as a child. May God rest her soul.
Your mom (Nancy Pope) is very lovely.
I agree with Eden – you’re Mom was a lovely woman. I’m so glad that you have been blessed with a sense that your mom is a peace!
Your Mom must have done a lot of things well given how you turned out, Msgr. I lost my mother just last summer after several years of battling a respiratory illness that eventually took her life. She depended on me for a lot during the final 5 years of her life, but I was happy to help her as much as I could in exchange for the countless things she did for me. I too felt close to her recently when, after offering an indulgence for her prior to a Mass, I heard the organist suddenly start to play new music as the people were departing the church after Mass. It was Gustav Holst’s “Thaxted” and I was struck by it because it was not the music for the entrance or recessional hymn of that Mass, but was the music I chose for the entrance hymn for both of my parents’ funeral Masses (O God Beyond All Praising). It could have just been a coincidence, but since I never hear that song or music played at Mass, I felt like I was receiving a small message of thanks or gratitude from my mother when the Mass ended and I had finished what I needed to do to offer her the indulgence. When people die, their family members tend to move on with their lives after a period of grief. As my parents’ caregiver, however, I will spend the rest of my life praying for them since they might still need my help. Your mother is undoubtedly very proud of you and has certainly benefited from all of the prayers, Masses and indulgences you have offered for her.