Mother's Day

My mother-in-law doesn't like Mother's Day. I think she resents the fact that the greeting card industry has made it too easy to neglect one's mother for 364 days of the year and still feel good about yourself as long--as you buy mom a box of chocolates, brunch, and, of course, a greeting card on one Sunday in May. I think she has a point.

Honoring one's mother and father is not optional. It's a full time gig. And, as unpleasant and difficult as it can be, we've got to do it. In fact, we're commanded to do it. So the notion that we can neglect our parents all year and then make good on one particular day seems pretty feeble to me. I don't have time to explore the reasons for this mindset--we can also see it at work in CAPE Catholics* and dying Rockafellers--but I'll say I think it's indicative of a particularly American, materialistic view of the world, which is a species of the sin of presumption.

I resent Mother's Day because it's just another way the Market tries to sell you something you can, and should, do for free. It smacks of formula companies selling their product to third world mothers.

BUT, there's something to be said for feast days and it should be obvious that that's what Mother's Day is--a secular feast day. Just as the therapist's couch replaced the confessional, Mother's Day is an attempt to fill the void in our lives from not having feast days. In a sense, it's a move in the right direction. It demonstrates our profound need for ritual and celebration. At our house, we're always inventing reasons to feast. We celebrate birthdays, baptismal days, saints days, the dogs' birthdays, whatever. It's wonderful; it gives the kids a sense of the gratuitousness of the world.

I have to go now...I'll try to revisit this topic again. Meanwhile, post some comments, start a discussion.

Peace!

*Christmas Ash Wednesday Palm Sunday Easter