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A few years ago I wrote a short piece for the Pax Christi USA website for Mother's Day. In preparation for the upcoming observance, I went back and re-read it and found again how much the sentiment resonates when I think not just of my mom, but of all the "moms" I have met during my 15 years on the Pax Christi USA national staff. I wrote:
"It was indeed my mother, Cathy Zokovitch, who first taught me of 'charity, mercy and patience,' as well as planting the seeds that led me to embrace working for justice and peace in our world. I imagine that it is the same for many of you as well. So many of us within our movement started this journey of peacemaking because of the influence of our moms. For so many of us in Pax Christi USA, our journey to becoming peacemakers began with the witness of our mothers..."
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| | My mom in her hospital bed with my brother last year. (Don't worry; she's doing fine. And yes, she'll hate that this is the picture I used!) |
On this Mother's Day, to all of those strong, brave women who shaped us into peacemakers and seekers of justice, I join other sons and daughters in saying thank you for your faithfulness and your leadership, and for being our first teachers in learning "the things that make for peace" (Luke 19:42).
In peace,
Johnny Zokovitch
Director of Communications, Pax Christi USA
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PRAY: Litany of Mary of Nazareth
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Written by Jean Wolbert, OSB, in collaboration with Anne McCarthy, OSB, and Margaret Wehrer
Glory to you, God of our Creator ... Breath into us new life, new meaning. Glory to you, God our Savior ... Lead us in the way of peace and justice. Glory to you, God, healing Spirit ... Transform us
to empower others.
Mary, wellspring of peace .......... Be our guide,
Model of strength
Model of gentleness
Model of trust
Model of courage
Model of patience
Model of risk
Model of openness
Model of perseverance Mother of the liberator .......... Pray for us.
Mother of the homeless
Mother of the dying
Mother of the nonviolent
Widowed mother
Unwed mother
Mother of political prisoner
Mother of the condemned
Mother of an executed criminal Oppressed woman .......... Lead us to life.
Liberator of the oppressed
Marginalized woman
Comforter of the afflicted
Cause of our joy
Sign of contradiction
Breaker of bondage
Political refugee
Seeker of sanctuary
First disciple
Sharer in Christ's ministry
Participant in Christ's passion
Seeker of God's will
Witness to Christ's resurrection Woman of mercy .......... Empower us.
Woman of faith
Woman of contemplation
Woman of vision
Woman of wisdom and understanding
Woman of grace and truth
Woman, pregnant with hope
Woman, centered in God Mary, Queen of Peace, we entrust our lives to you. Shelter us from war, hatred and oppression. Teach us to live in peace, to educate ourselves for peace. Inspire us to act justly, to revere all God has made. Root peace firmly in our hearts and in our world. Amen.
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STUDY: The Original
Mother's Day Proclamation
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by Julia Ward Howe, 1870
Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."...
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ACT: Mother's Day Action Toolkit
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from Showing Up for Racial Justice
NOTE: The following toolkit was created by Showing Up for Racial Justice last year in the wake of the Baltimore protests following the death of Freddie Gray.
White parents and families can shape and shift the way children think and talk about race -- by explicitly talking about race and injustice with them. The goal of these conversations is to prepare young people to understand racism, and work toward racial justice. For white parents, it's a great opportunity to build these conversations into everyday life.
As white people showing up for racial justice, join us in engaging white children in our goal of fairness and equality. We want dignity and justice for all people in the U.S. In just the past few weeks, Freddie Gray, Mya Hall (both in Baltimore) and Rekia Boyd (in Chicago) were killed by the police. Let us remember their names and take action in their honor to guarantee that this doesn't happen to any other children and adults from our communities. Check out our action items that come in various shapes and sizes designed for your lifestyles. Pick an action or two or more that feels doable make sense to you to do.
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