OPINION: Be thankful for a Mother’s courage this Sunday - The Dean of Ripon

Perhaps this will be a thought we have as we celebrate Mothering Sunday this weekend.

The war in Ukraine reminds us just how courageous mothers sometimes have to be. The wicked tide of Russian military might may seem to have been stalling in its planned progress across that innocent, sovereign nation, but cities are still being destroyed and millions displaced from their homes.

The ceaseless stream of refugees floods out in all western directions across Europe. Families are being torn apart and we see heart-rending images of fathers, staying to fight, waving off their wives or partners and children. Mothers are showing great courage.

Within the traditions of Mothering Sunday, we take inspiration from another remarkable mother who showed great courage, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The circumstances of Jesus’ conception and birth required immense faithfulness and resilience on the part of that young woman. More would be needed.

The aged Simeon warned her, as Jesus was presented in the temple by her and Joseph at 40 days old, Jesus’s future suffering would result in a sword piercing her soul. Who can imagine the grief experienced by her as she witnessed the crucifixion of her son? Well, possibly too many mothers of Ukraine in these dark days of another European war.

This bleak reality reminds us of the need for courage on the part of the third mother for which we traditionally give thanks on Mothering Sunday, the Church itself. We should always beware when we hear the claim that the Church should keep out of politics. How can it? The Church is the gift of Christ to the world, the instrument by which he seeks to further his kingdom on earth. Such a mission requires the Church’s involvement with human society at every level, from pastoral care of individuals to offering counsel to the leaders of the nations. And this can require great reserves of courage.

A prominent example from modern history of parts of the Church failing in its duty to speak truth to power comes from Germany during the third Reich. From too many pulpits and bishops’ seats, the evil, nationalistic intentions of Hitler and the Nazis found support, or at least a lack of opposition.

Famously, it was the courage of people like the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer and members of the Confessing Church which stood out; something which cost many of them their lives.

Bonhoeffer returned to his native Germany from the relative war-time safety of America, he was determined to see the Church speak and act for justice. He was executed in the last few months of the war.

On a weekend when we celebrate the blessings of ‘Mother Church’, we must pray for integrity and courage for the Church in all its parts today. We pray for the Russian Orthodox Church, that it might be true to its calling and speak prophetically in the face of powers and ambitions which only undermine Christ’s reign of justice and peace.

These may seem like heavy themes when contemplating our joyful keeping of Mothering Sunday. They are, sadly. Even so, Mothering Sunday will also rightly be a happy day of celebration for many families. We will be keeping it with joy and gratitude in the cathedral services, especially at 10.30am. You are very welcome to join us!

And thinking about Ripon Cathedral as an ancient Mother Church, you are also very welcome to join us for our 1350th celebrations. Information is now published and available on our website. From the end of April to the middle of October, we have a packed programme of music and arts festivals, special services, son et lumiere evenings, flower festivals, pilgrimages, talks and lectures, a beer festival, and much more. We would love you to help us celebrate the fact that Ripon Cathedral’s Anglo-Saxon crypt is the oldest built fabric of all England’s cathedrals. We would love you to celebrate with us the faithful witness of this ancient Mother Church which, through the ups and downs of this nation’s history, has sometimes had to show great courage in being faithful to its Christian calling.