Introduction

Given that today is also Mothering Sunday, a focus on ‘home’ seems appropriate. Ideally, home is a place of safety and love, a place to be fully ourselves. And we rejoice with those for whom this is so. But we also remember those who are without a place to call home, or who find Mothering Sunday difficult, for whatever reason.

Context  

Demolition teams have moved into the migrant camp in Calais, known as ‘the Jungle’. 

The UK is in the midst of a housing crisis.

The ‘bedroom tax’ is discriminating against people with disabilities, and pushing some people over the edge. 

There is a growing issue of homeless people sleeping in recycling bins.

In what could be seen as a modern-day version of today’s parable, an Australian man missing for 16 years has been found by his family, living rough in the West Midlands.

Reflection

Parables are stories designed to make us think. There is no one ‘right’ interpretation. For example, we usually assume that the father in this parable represents God. But there is no need for that to be so. Enjoy playing with the story. Imagine yourself as each of the characters in turn. What might their thoughts and feelings be? Why do they act as they do? Are there any parallels to your own life? Would the story feel different if the cast were female? A guided meditation on the parable is provided by Ave Maria Press.

‘Coming Home’ is an evocative phrase. According to Wikipedia, there are six films, three novels, one play, and forty eight songs with that title.

For some, ‘coming home’ will bring to mind fond memories. For others, it is an impossible dream, whether because of geographic exile or family breakdown. Can the church help provide a sense of home? Christian Aid is supporting the Reverend Elineide, a Brazilian parish priest, who founded Casa Noeli dos Santos, a refuge for women fleeing domestic violence.

Home is both a literal place and a state of mind. Where do you feel most yourself? Closest to God?

Bricks and mortar matter. We are material beings. The father in the parable does not just say ‘welcome home’ to his son, he throws a party, and provides new clothes. It is hard to create a sense of safety and security, a place of welcome and well-being, in inadequate housing. Yet even in the direst of circumstances, people do their best to make a home, as pictures from the Calais Jungle camp prove.

Never leaving home is not necessarily a good thing. More and more young adults cannot afford a place of their own, and are forced to rely on ‘the hotel of mum and dad’. But in order to grow and mature, we need to spread our wings and experiment, even if things go wrong. Is the same true in matters of faith? Do we sometimes need to leave our comfort zone, and explore new ways of thinking, or new ways of praying?

Prayer

These are intercessions for Mothering Sunday (the word ‘mother’ could be replaced by ‘parent’, if that feels more appropriate for your congregation).  

This refrain may be used after each bidding.

As a mother comforts her child,
enfold them in your love and care.

As we rejoice in the gift of human love, and give thanks for all that we have received from our mothers, we pray for those for whom today is not a celebration, but a reminder of sorrow, loss or pain.

We pray for new mothers overwhelmed by the demands of small babies, those lacking in sleep, or suffering from post-natal depression.

We pray for mothers whose children are very ill, who spend their days sitting by a bedside, waiting for signs of hope.

We pray for mothers who have lost children, and whose grief is still raw.

We pray for mothers estranged from their children, who do not know where they are, or what has become of them.

We pray for couples who have been unable to conceive, or women who have suffered miscarriages.

We pray for families where there are tensions, where parents and children are locked in conflict.

We pray for children who have lost their mothers, living in children’s homes, or with foster parents.

Questions

• How have your experiences of family dynamics influenced your picture of God?
• What new associations spring to mind when you picture God as a mother rather than a father?

Action

• Keep a lookout for those who are lost. Sign up for Child Rescue Alerts. 
• Use the Streetlink website (currently only operating in England and Wales) to help someone sleeping rough access local services.

Young people

Have you ever felt like leaving home? What stopped you? Look at some of the stories on the Runway Helpline website. What could you do to help someone who felt so desperate?

Ann Conway-Jones was born in Switzerland, but has made her home in Birmingham. She worships at Old Church, Smethwick.