A prayer for the fourth Sunday of Easter

God

We are in a hospital chapel on Mother’s Day.

We need to have tears wiped away from our eyes. None of us wants to be here. Except, perhaps, for those in the Family Birthing Center who have just been through labor and are holding a newborn, healthy and squalling or content.

The rest of us are working rather than celebrating, worrying about treatments, anticipating what may happen before the end of the day.

We’re missing mothers who are gone or who have never been around.

We ...