5-10-26 “The Spiritual Family of God”
“The Spiritual Family of God”
I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: One early morning, a lady went in to wake
up her son. “Wake up, son. It’s time to go to school!” The son said, “But why, Mom? I don’t want to go.” The
mom said, “Give me two reasons you don’t want to go.”
The son said, “Well, the kids hate me, for one—and the teachers hate me, too!” The mom said, “Oh, that’s no
reason not to go to school. Come on now and get ready.” The son said, “Give me two reasons why I should go
to school.” The mom said, “Well, for one, you’re 52 years old. And for another—you’re the principal!”
That story makes us smile, but today also brings deeper memories.
Every year, when Mother’s Day comes, I find myself remembering my mother—and missing her deeply. My
mother was a gifted woman. She ran a traditional Korean dress shop. Her sewing skills were excellent, and she
was well known as a designer of beautiful traditional dresses. With her hands, she created not just clothing, but
love you could see and wear.
She made my first dress when I graduated from high school. She made another when I graduated from
seminary. Later, when I was running a preschool, she made me a new dress every year for the graduation
ceremony. Each dress carried her care, her pride, and her love for me. She used to say, “When you become a
pastor, I will make your robe.” But she passed away before I became a pastor.
Later, I experienced two separate house fires. In those fires, I lost many personal belongings—including all the
dresses my mother had made for me. For a long time, it felt like I had lost not only the dresses, but something of
her presence with me.
In 2016, when I graduated with my Ph.D., I missed my mother more than ever. I wanted to wear a traditional
Korean dress in remembrance of her. I asked my younger sister if she had any dress our mother had made. At
first, she said no. But then she found one dress, carefully kept in a precious box at my mother’s house. She sent
it to me.
When I opened the box, I was surprised. It was the very first dress my mother had made for me—the one I wore
when I graduated from high school. My mother had kept it all her life.
On the day I received my doctoral degree, I wore that dress again. It felt like my mother was there with me. I
wonder, what reminds you of your mother’s love?
But God was not finished showing me what family means. When I thought I had lost that kind of love, God
surprised me with another mother. While I was serving as an intern pastor at New Hope UMC in Waukegan in
2016, I met my American mom, Alberta Jackson. When I shared the story of my mother, she came to me and
said that she would be my mom. Her care and prayers gave me confidence as I continued my journey in
ministry.
When she heard about my appointment to Upper St. Croix Falls, she rejoiced with me. However, she passed
away two months later. Whenever I go to Chicago, I stop by her grave in Waukegan, remembering her care and
prayers for me. She taught me a new definition of family: Family is not only blood—but love.
In today’s Scripture, John 14:15-21 continues Jesus’ farewell speech. Jesus says something very important to
His disciples: “I will not leave you orphaned.” The disciples were anxious. Jesus was preparing them for His
departure. They were afraid of being alone, of losing His presence. But Jesus assures them: “You are not alone.
I will come to you. The Father will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with you.” Jesus is not only
comforting His disciples—He is redefining what it means to belong. Through the Holy Spirit, we are brought
into God’s own family. We are no longer alone. We are no longer without belonging. We are no longer
orphaned.
On Mother’s Day, we often celebrate the love of mothers. But we also carry many different emotions. Some of
us remember our mothers with gratitude. Some of us miss them deeply. Some carry complicated or painful
memories. Some have longed to be mothers. Some have been spiritual mothers without ever having children.
That is why this day can be both beautiful and tender. And into all of these experiences, Jesus speaks this
promise: “I will not leave you orphaned.”
In the Bible, we see many different kinds of mothers. We remember Hannah, who prayed with all her heart for
a child and then dedicated her son Samuel to God. We remember Mary, who said “yes” to God’s call and
carried Jesus into the world with courage and faith.
We remember Lois and Eunice, who passed down faith from one generation to another. These women remind
us that motherhood is not only about giving birth—it is about nurturing faith, offering love, and shaping lives.
And that brings us to something important: In Christ, we are all part of a spiritual family.
The church is not just a place we attend. It is a family we belong to. Here, we have spiritual mothers and fathers.
Here, we are called to care for one another, to guide one another, to love one another. Some of you have been
spiritual mothers to others—through your prayers, your encouragement, your quiet acts of kindness. Some of
you have offered wisdom, comfort, and guidance in ways that reflect God’s love. That is holy work.
When I think about my mother’s dresses, I realize something. Even though I lost many of them, her love was
never lost. Her love shaped me. Her love stayed with me. Her love still lives in me. And in a similar way, God’s
love is not something we can lose. Jesus says, “Because I live, you also will live.” God’s love continues—
through memory, through faith, through community, through the Spirit.
I also remember something from my childhood. In Korea, we celebrate Parents’ Day on May 8th. When I was a
child, I learned how to make paper flowers at school. Every year, I made paper flowers for my parents. My
mother made beautiful silk dresses for me. And I made simple paper flowers for her. They could not compare
with her dresses—but they were the best gift I could give. And she received them with love.
Today, as I remember my parents and my American mom, I also think of all of you.
In many ways, you are like family to me. You are mothers and fathers in faith. You are sisters and brothers in
Christ. So today, I honor you.
Dear family in Jesus Christ, this is the good news: In Christ, none of us are alone. In Christ, none of us are
forgotten. In Christ, none of us are orphaned. We belong—to God and to one another. We are the spiritual
family of God.
So today, let us give thanks: For the mothers who gave us life, For the mothers who nurtured our faith, For the
love that continues to surround us, and For the God who never lets us go. We may lose what we can hold in our
hands, but we never lose the love that shaped us—because that love is held in God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.