Despising mothers

Too many holidays, too few holy days.

I went to church on Mothers Day. Not surprising there. I expected my wife to receive a flower, or a bookmark. Something cute, but inexpensive. She got a baggie of candy, with a smarmy poem explaining why she got a mint, a Starburst, and whatever else was in there. (The mint is for your commit'mint'.)

And, of course, we can't leave anyone out, so the baggies of candy were for all the adult women in the congregation that day. I think thats what really got my goat. So, I thought to myself, Mothers Day isn't for mothers anymore? Apparently not. We can't leave out anyone. Why not? Do we despise our mothers that much?

Why not? I ask again. We don't want to hurt feelings, maybe. Or appear to be exclusive. Or maybe the church just bought too many bags of candy and needed to get rid of the excess. (Although I doubt that was the issue, since I'm almost sure the fathers were treated to the same baggies with slightly altered poems.)

So, neither fathers nor mothers are special enough to receive their own 'holiday' anymore. Its all inclusive, because ... I don't know why. I felt insulted. Not for myself, because I knew it was coming for me on Fathers Day. I was insulted by the way my wife was treated. It was as though she were told that, although this day is for mothers, she's not really any more special than any other woman in the congregation that day.

Woopee. Lets dress in green, white & red and celebrate the Iranian election on July 4th. After all, they're a democracy, too. Lets set off a few fireworks to celebrate their freedom.

And don't get me started about the commercialization of Christmas. ("Happy Holidays", anyone?)

If modern Christians can't maintain that special something that sets these days apart from all the others, then what would make the world think that there is anything different about our religion? I don't want to celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving, even though I enjoy eating. Nor do I decorate the house for Cinco de Mayo. I'm not a Mexican. Neither of those countries hold any attraction for me. And neither does Christianity hold any attraction for the many people. And why should it?

We've watered down the message and tried to incorporate it into mainstream culture. It won't work. Christianity is about the Absolute Truth, not about popularity. As long as churches, and Christians, are trying to be popular and inclusive and non-offensive, the Gospel cannot be truly shared. After all, Jesus was crucified because it was offensive. Telling people they are going to hell is offensive. "You aren't going to heaven because you don't meet up with God's standards," is exclusive.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote about the Cost of Discipleship versus cheap grace. Discipleship is hard work. Being a follower is easy. You hang around with the right crowd, but it doesn't get you invited up to the Mount of Transfiguration, or into the garden to pray the night before the crucifiction.

You can get a bag of candy on Mothers Day, or Fathers Day, just because of your gender. But that doesn't make you a parent anymore than going to church makes you a Christian.