Mother's Day, 2014
11/05/14 05:13
In our society, we often confuse wealth for abundance. We think that having a lot of things is the same as living abundantly. That, however is not the case.
Anna Jarvis, the founder of the Mother’s Day holiday intended for us all to honor the sacrifices women made for their families. Jarvis’ mother, Ann, dedicated a large portion of her life to setting up Mother’s Work Clubs across the United States. The clubs were originally a place for young mothers to learn the skills required to care for children. After the Civil War, the clubs were places of unity in a badly divided country. With so many families having the experience of fathers and husbands being gone for extended periods of time during the war, their return was often less than easy. The clubs promoted reconciliation between divided families and restoration of family life.
After Ann died, her daughter Anna was overwhelmed by all of the letters and cards and messages of support that were received. The tributes were significant and deeply meaningful. Anna decided that all women deserved recognition. She knew of many holidays dedicated to male achievement and felt that the work of women often went unnoticed. She started the observance of Mother’s Day in the Methodist church where she taught Sunday School. As far as we can tell she was touched and appreciated deeply the gift of 500 white carnations donated by Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia to decorate the church for the event. Carnations were her mother’s favorite flower.
It wasn’t long, however, before candy makers and department stores and greeting card printers embraced Mother’s Day with all kinds of special sales and promotions. Telegraph companies promoted the sending of wires home. The price of carnations, the symbol of Mother’s day when up in price when the annual holiday came around.
Anna jarvis was outraged by the crass commercialism that soon surrounded the holiday. She called those who sought to profit from the recognition “charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truste movements and celebrations.”
By 1924 Anna Jarvis was so annoyed by the commercialization of Mother’s Day that she began to speak out in public about the problem. The conflict between her and those who would profit from the holiday became so intense that she was arrested, thrown out of meetings, and was requested not to speak in front of groups that had previously supported her cause. She eventually became so agitated and outspoken that she was admitted to a psychiatric ward. She died alone in the Marshall Square Sanitarium in November of 1948.
The irony of the story is that despite what may have been a diagnosable mental illness, Anna Jarvis got it right.
Spending a lot of money is probably not the best way to recognize and honor the sacrifice of women. A few flower can be nice. Overdoing it can detract from the meaning of the day.
We confuse wealth and the possession of many things with abundance.
It wasn’t too many years ago that church attendance went up on Mother’s Day. One of the ways that families celebrated was to go together to church and offer thanks for the contributions and sacrifices of mothers everywhere.
Judging from the advertisements in the paper and other media, one might be led to believe that the holiday consists of purchasing expensive gifts and going out to an expensive meal in a restaurant.
Quite frankly, it never occurred to me to buy personalized jewelry or artistry diamonds for my mother when she was living. I did purchase small gifts like flower and books, but our family never got into appliances, smartphones or vehicles as ways to honor our mother.
In John 10:10, Jesus tells his disciples, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” He contrasts his behavior and the gift of abundant life with the work of a thief that comes to rob. He says his purpose is different. The analogy might have worked for many generations of his disciples, but somehow we get hung up with the fact that thieves often steal possessions. We seem to think that abundant life consists of having lots of possessions. Generations of Christian preachers have quoted John 10:10 as support for the idea that Christianity leads to physical prosperity.
We fail to see that abundant life is not for sale. It is a free gift.
We fail to understand that true joy does not come from possessions or wealth.
I don’t really know the full story of Anna Jarvis. It is possible that she suffered from a brain disorder. She might have been the victim of a mental illness. But it is also fairly easy to read her story as the tale of one woman who was the only sane thinker in a world gone mad. I can’t help but think of her story on Mother’s Day as we are buried in advertisements that promote the purchase of any number of items and merchants who seem to see the holiday as a way to transfer wealth from families to their own pockets.
There are so many other ways to honor the sacrifices of women. There are so many other ways to celebrate a holiday dedicated to mothers.
The way I understand the Bible, wealth, prestige, position and power in this world aren’t’ exactly at the top of God’s list of blessings. Jesus didn’t seek any of it. His disciples didn’t end up among the elite and wealthy of their day. A Christian life is deeply meaningful, but seldom leads to excessive wealth.
Abundant life comes from an abundance of love, joy, peace and the other fruits of the spirit as enumerated in Galatians. Expressions of these gifts, it seems to me, are far more appropriate for the celebration of Mother’s Day than jewelry, appliances, and other possessions.
But the, I may not think like the rest of the world. Neither did Anna Jarvis.
Anna Jarvis, the founder of the Mother’s Day holiday intended for us all to honor the sacrifices women made for their families. Jarvis’ mother, Ann, dedicated a large portion of her life to setting up Mother’s Work Clubs across the United States. The clubs were originally a place for young mothers to learn the skills required to care for children. After the Civil War, the clubs were places of unity in a badly divided country. With so many families having the experience of fathers and husbands being gone for extended periods of time during the war, their return was often less than easy. The clubs promoted reconciliation between divided families and restoration of family life.
After Ann died, her daughter Anna was overwhelmed by all of the letters and cards and messages of support that were received. The tributes were significant and deeply meaningful. Anna decided that all women deserved recognition. She knew of many holidays dedicated to male achievement and felt that the work of women often went unnoticed. She started the observance of Mother’s Day in the Methodist church where she taught Sunday School. As far as we can tell she was touched and appreciated deeply the gift of 500 white carnations donated by Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia to decorate the church for the event. Carnations were her mother’s favorite flower.
It wasn’t long, however, before candy makers and department stores and greeting card printers embraced Mother’s Day with all kinds of special sales and promotions. Telegraph companies promoted the sending of wires home. The price of carnations, the symbol of Mother’s day when up in price when the annual holiday came around.
Anna jarvis was outraged by the crass commercialism that soon surrounded the holiday. She called those who sought to profit from the recognition “charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truste movements and celebrations.”
By 1924 Anna Jarvis was so annoyed by the commercialization of Mother’s Day that she began to speak out in public about the problem. The conflict between her and those who would profit from the holiday became so intense that she was arrested, thrown out of meetings, and was requested not to speak in front of groups that had previously supported her cause. She eventually became so agitated and outspoken that she was admitted to a psychiatric ward. She died alone in the Marshall Square Sanitarium in November of 1948.
The irony of the story is that despite what may have been a diagnosable mental illness, Anna Jarvis got it right.
Spending a lot of money is probably not the best way to recognize and honor the sacrifice of women. A few flower can be nice. Overdoing it can detract from the meaning of the day.
We confuse wealth and the possession of many things with abundance.
It wasn’t too many years ago that church attendance went up on Mother’s Day. One of the ways that families celebrated was to go together to church and offer thanks for the contributions and sacrifices of mothers everywhere.
Judging from the advertisements in the paper and other media, one might be led to believe that the holiday consists of purchasing expensive gifts and going out to an expensive meal in a restaurant.
Quite frankly, it never occurred to me to buy personalized jewelry or artistry diamonds for my mother when she was living. I did purchase small gifts like flower and books, but our family never got into appliances, smartphones or vehicles as ways to honor our mother.
In John 10:10, Jesus tells his disciples, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” He contrasts his behavior and the gift of abundant life with the work of a thief that comes to rob. He says his purpose is different. The analogy might have worked for many generations of his disciples, but somehow we get hung up with the fact that thieves often steal possessions. We seem to think that abundant life consists of having lots of possessions. Generations of Christian preachers have quoted John 10:10 as support for the idea that Christianity leads to physical prosperity.
We fail to see that abundant life is not for sale. It is a free gift.
We fail to understand that true joy does not come from possessions or wealth.
I don’t really know the full story of Anna Jarvis. It is possible that she suffered from a brain disorder. She might have been the victim of a mental illness. But it is also fairly easy to read her story as the tale of one woman who was the only sane thinker in a world gone mad. I can’t help but think of her story on Mother’s Day as we are buried in advertisements that promote the purchase of any number of items and merchants who seem to see the holiday as a way to transfer wealth from families to their own pockets.
There are so many other ways to honor the sacrifices of women. There are so many other ways to celebrate a holiday dedicated to mothers.
The way I understand the Bible, wealth, prestige, position and power in this world aren’t’ exactly at the top of God’s list of blessings. Jesus didn’t seek any of it. His disciples didn’t end up among the elite and wealthy of their day. A Christian life is deeply meaningful, but seldom leads to excessive wealth.
Abundant life comes from an abundance of love, joy, peace and the other fruits of the spirit as enumerated in Galatians. Expressions of these gifts, it seems to me, are far more appropriate for the celebration of Mother’s Day than jewelry, appliances, and other possessions.
But the, I may not think like the rest of the world. Neither did Anna Jarvis.