Rethinking Mother's Day with the Green Team

It is ﬁtting that we move from April, Earth Month, into May, the Month of Mary and Mother’s Day. Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima said, “There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how diﬃcult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” Click Here for a beautiful rosary meditation to honor Mother Earth from the Catholic Climate Movement.

Mirabai Starr writes about our relationship and responsibility to the maternal energy of the universe in this way:

“She is your Mother, the Earth, and you belong to her. She nurtured you in her dark belly, birthed you in joy, and sustains you at great cost to herself. You have slept in her forests, beneath the safety of her canopy. You have cupped her snowmelt in your hands. You have investigated the life hidden beneath the surface of her deserts, skied her alpine slopes, and biked her slickrock canyons. You have reveled in her generosity and been grateful. She has never asked much of you in return. Up until now, your gratitude has been enough. Your delight has been her reward. Up until now, she has not needed you as you have needed her. But that is shifting…”

In fact, our early church fathers recognized the connection between Mary and our Mother Earth. Saint Basil the Great, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Ambrose of Milan, Saint John Chrysostom, and the list goes on, including scripture, where the earth is referred to as the "mother of all." In fact, in the Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon, Saint Francis of Assisi wrote:

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

We encourage you to try a new way, one that honors Mother Earth at the same time as we honor the important women in our lives. Some ideas include:

Organic, fair-trade bouquets are an instant pick-me-up, but potted plants look just as good, last longer, and improve air quality.

Skip the stuff and give your overworked mom a break by volunteering to run errands (on your bike, of course), prepare a healthy dinner, or tend the garden.

If your mother enjoys cooking with seasonal ingredients, treat her to a year of locally raised fruits and veggies. Contact a local CSA farm to make your mom a member.
Add the names of the important women in your life to our Mother's Day Novena.

For more ideas check out these great Green Mother's Day Gifts from the Sierra Club.

-Meredith McCarthy