When I arrived at my previous parish and Mothering Sunday came round, it has to be said: there were glazed looks at the preacher. It is fair to say I was the first priest in the parish who had roots in the Church of England and so speaking on this topic was something unfamiliar with a congregation who focused more on Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May.

As many of you may know the fourth Sunday in Lent is sometimes known as Laetare Sunday and marks the mid point of the season. In some parts of England, it was the custom to visit one’s mother, and also to sometimes visit your cathedral or mother church. In the western Church it was also when purple was replaced by rose-pink to mark this temporary relaxation from the penitential discipline.

Lent 4 is also called Refreshment Sunday as in the Book of Common Prayer lectionary the gospel passage is the feeding of the 5000.

The relaxation of the Lenten discipline also saw (in England) the preparation and eating of simnel cakes on this day. It is a fruit cake, simpler in style to Christmas cake, and decorated with marzipan and eleven balls of marzipan, representing the disciples, minus Judas!

The Mothers’ Union (MU) was founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner in England as a group for women to support marriage and family life. Today there are over 4 million members of the MU in 83 countries. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of its founding, and in our parish this year marks 50 years since a branch was established. Today at Coffee Hour I hear there will be simnel cake to mark the 50th Anniversary of the MU at St. James’.

Here is a prayer written by Mary Sumner:

All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee;
and every life I touch, do thou by thy spirit quicken,
whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I live. Amen.

If you want to know more about the aims an objectives of the MU, and its work around the world please follow this link: www.mothersunion.org/our-story.

Fr Stephen Rowe

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In less than two weeks’ time, God-willing, I shall be making my final vows in the Order of the Canons of St. Benedict – the ‘lifetime subscription’, if you will, […]