A Sermonic Poem Delivered By Rob Gilmore at Henrietta United Church of Christ Mother’s Day May 14^th 2006

Psalm 139:7-16

Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me,

And your right hand shall hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you;

The night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.

A Contemporary Interpretation

Mom where can I go? You always seem to find me. I go upstairs and you’re there waiting for me, I go to the basement and there you are, I take off to my friend’s house before I think you’d even miss me and by the time I get there, you’ve already phoned over there that I need to go back home and do my homework.

Or how about that time when I was little and broke your favorite vase and hid in the closet? It was so dark, how’d you find me in there? It was as if it was bright as day in that closet, you knew right where I was.

You sure do know me, every part of me, because you made me. You sure did make me real good, and you know every part of me that you put together. Heck you knew me before I knew myself. You know where I’m going too, because you know me and you’ve had a plan for me even before I was born.

2^nd Reading Luke 1:39-56 (The Modified Magnificat)

And Mary Said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for she has looked with favor on lowliness of her servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for Mighty Mother has done great things for me, and holy is her name.

Her mercy is for those who fear her from generation to generation.

She has shown strength with her arm; she has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. She has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; she has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

She has helped her servant Israel, in remembrance of her mercy, according to the promise she made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

“Our Mother God” By Rob Gilmore

Some people may find it odd

To speak about our Mother God

With Father Son and Holy Ghost familiar refrain

Feminine images of the Holy of Holy’s may even bring disdain

But if we are to view God as limitless

We must bring gender into this

So let us explore these images of The Divine

As our Creator God who is Feminine

Let us honor our Mother God in a special way

On this celebration of Mother’s Day.

Holy Mother was pregnant with idea of creation

She planned carefully with great anticipation

Holy Mother was in labor for six days while giving birth

She rested on the seventh holding her precious little new born Earth

She smiled and said “Very Good,” as she looked exhausted and with elation

At Love’s true manifestation, Momma God had bore all of creation!

Mother God knew us before anyone and knit us in our mother’s womb

And in her house she will take us back to an already prepared room

She has prepared it and picked out all the décor

Oh Mother God how we do adore

We weren’t always good children we didn’t always obey

So in the Garden we could no longer play

But you Mother, still loved us like Mommy’s little lamb,

And helped us become the many descendants of Abraham

You spoke to Moses, told him what we must do

Gave us a way to follow you

You cooked a meal for us Ma when we were wandering through the sand

You gave us Manna so we might reach your Promised Land

Though in our youth we rebelled time and time again

You loved us still as we grew into women and men.

Mother God time went on and you guided us but oh how we did get lost

You knew that for our return you must pay a big cost

So once again you used your creativity to convey

Your Awesome and infinite love in a new way.

You gave us an example of You and us all in One

You gave us Jesus your Holy Son

Yes Mother God through Jesus we can reach you

None of this would be possible without another “I do”

“Let it be done unto me.”

The holy words of Mary

Fully conscious of your awesome power though she had never seen

Such hopeful faith from this pregnant unwed little teen

She proclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord”

Setting off great Angelic Chord

Alleluia was the great exhale

As for once by free will we did not fail

His unformed body in Mary’s womb you knew

As baby Jesus you knit, making Covenant New

Oh Mother God how patiently you did wait

All so your little children may have clean slate

For one who created all in just six days

Waiting nine months for just one is worthy of praise

You could have sent your Son down instant and direct

But what share of salvation would we have when he did resurrect?

You knew he had to be one of us in order to save all

You knew at Mary’s “Yes” that he would right the great fall.

You knew, he, your Loved One would be beaten and put to the test

You knew that he would rise to glory; you formed him gathering him close to your breast

Mary your blessed servant rejoices

And prophesies the praise of future voices

How great a son she bore while enduring pain

Physically and emotionally she suffered for our gain

How great a son, Mary, you raised

By whose life we are still amazed

How great a son, Mother God, you knit in Mary’s womb

That would save us by his death and rising from the tomb

Oh Sister Elizabeth thought too old to bear a kid

But with Mother God it was made possible and you did.

Oh John how you leapt in your mother Elizabeth’s womb when Mary came near

The reverberations of your mother’s blessing you did hear

Oh Jesus who are you that John should leap in the womb?

Oh Jesus who are you that you should leave empty the tomb?

Oh Jesus who are you that from suffering you did not run?

Oh Jesus who could you be but a devoted Mother’s son?

Oh Mary who’s soul magnifies the Holy Mother

Oh Mary you bore our everlasting eternal brother

Oh Mary you kept watchful eye over little Yeshua unaware of future cost

Oh Mary you searched for little Yeshua when in the Temple he was lost

Oh Mary you urged Jesus to give us a sign

Oh Mary you said turn that water into wine

Oh Mary you worried as he went forth and went out

Oh Mary how you felt it when others would doubt

Oh Holy Mother God how you blessed Mary the mother of your son

The person you trusted with your Holy One

Mother God how you strengthened Jesus along the way

Mother you put the words in his mouth so your truth he might say

Holy Mother how you wept with your child in the garden when he asked for you to pass the cup

All you could do was let it happen and tell him be strong do not give up

Holy Mother and Mother Mary how you did cry

As you watched your beloved Son die

The one who you formed his inward parts

Two mothers two breaking hearts

Murdered in front of you on a cross

No one can know your Mother’s loss

Three days went by before you could raise your head

But what is this? Jesus is raised from the dead?

You knew it was true Mary and began to sing

“Where are you now o death where is your sting?”

Mother God it was by your will that it be done

A New Covenant built on your Holy Son

No more Mother, will you be sad

Jesus is risen rejoice and be glad

Yes Mary your soul magnifies

The one who makes the Son rise

Through the lens of you we can see

The proud mother of all that is, all that was, and all that will ever be

As the psalmist says wherever we go

Mother God will always know

Mother God knew us before we had form

Mother God knew us before we were born

A love like this can be of no other

Than Holy God our loving Mother

Amen