Second graders give us the scoop on moms

A group of second-grade school children answered the following questions about mothers:

Why did God make mothers?

• She’s the only one who knows where the Scotch tape is.

• Mostly to clean the house.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

• God makes mothers out of clouds and angels’ hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

• They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

• She had to know his background; like, is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?

• Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say “no” to drugs and “yes” to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

• My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot

• My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

Who’s the boss at your house?

• Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball.

• Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?

• Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

• Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power ‘cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

• She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.

• I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Mothers reveal God to us like no one else. Mothers love their children even before they are born, before their children have a chance to love them or to earn their mother’s love. Isn’t that the way God is? God loves us first. We cannot earn God’s love. God’s love is a gift to us.

Mothers constantly nourish their children. Perhaps the most famous words that mothers speak to their children are, “Do you want something to eat?” God constantly nourishes us with the Word of God, the Eucharist and God’s wonderful grace every moment of our lives.

Mothers will stand by their children through any difficulty, even when they know their child is wrong. They will be there to support them and to assure them of their love. In the same way we can count on God always being at our side and on our side. Mothers are always ready to forgive their children. They do not want anything to stand in the way of their mutual love. Similarly, God assures us that he will forgive all our sins because he too wants us close to him.

Mothers rejoice in their children’s successes and are proud of their accomplishments. God is also proud of us and rejoices over us. We know that children can break a mother’s heart and that this is probably the heaviest cross for any mother. It is also true that we can break God’s heart when we sin or fail to respond to his generous love.

This Sunday, we celebrate our mothers, living and deceased. Mothers, you have been an unspeakable blessing to us your children. Your faithful, persevering love astounds us and gives our hearts warmth unlike any other. We honor you today as a gift from God, a revelation of God and God’s love. We celebrate you as a great wonder of God’s creation. We love you. Have a Happy Mother’s Day!