Today is Mother’s Day in the US. It’s my first Mother’s Day without my mother. She died a few months ago. She’d had a stroke many years ago and I cared for her for many years. So not being with her was a big change, since I was with her much of the time.  She couldn’t speak after her stroke, but she still knew what all was going on, and so often now I think of something I would tell her, but she’s gone now. But I hope she’s still around me somehow and I know what a big influence she was for me and that in many ways she’s still some part of my life.

In the Gospel Jesus talks about his Father-Son bond with God, and of course their relationship was absolutely more than a regular father and son. He says, “realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.”  There is a connection that is beyond death. Jesus rose again and if we accept him, he lives in each of us. He says, “In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me.” We are still connected even beyond this world and into the next. He hasn’t just left us here; he’s given us his love that doesn’t die.

He set himself as a precedent. His love continues and he continues to love us, and we continue to love him. And love does not die. Those we love who have gone before continue to love us too and we continue to love them. I feel certain of Jesus’ love, and on Mother’s day I feel certain of my mother’s love and I think she knows I still love her too. Jesus says, “whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Love never dies.