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The Subtle Deception of 'Mother's Day'

For most of America, Mother's Day is a day of great celebration. And of course, YHWH has commanded His people to "Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you." (Sh'mot [Ex.] 20:12).

For many of us, keeping this commandment includes the celebrating of these "holidays." But in truth, these worldly so-called holidays and their common practices are not based on scripture, but like Christmas and Easter, have roots in paganism.

To begin with, the day set aside to "honor" fathers was merely an afterthought to Mother's Day. And yet, the law says "honor thy father and thy mother." Not mother and father, but father and mother. This subtle reversal of order has led to major confusion and family instability - even in the household of faith.

Like all western so-called holidays, the origin of a Mother's Day celebration clearly traces back to ancient pagan practices. Beginning at about 250 BC, the Greeks held an annual spring festival in "honor" of 'Rhea', the "mother of the gods". During that same period, the Romans held a similar festival dedicated to the "mother goddess" 'Cybele.' By the 1600's, "Mothering Sunday" was being celebrated by the English on the fourth Sunday of "Lent."

In 1872, Julia Ward Howe, lyricist of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", introduced the idea of a Mother’s Day in the United States. Some 35 years later, Ana Jarvis of Philadelphia started a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in nearly every state in the union. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it official - proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.

In 1909, Sonora Dodd, a woman from Spokane, Washington, while listening to a Mother's Day sermon, thought about her father William Smart, a Civil War veteran, who had raised his six children by himself after his wife died while giving birth to their last child. Ms. Dodd then decided to show her appreciation for her father by setting aside a special day to "honor" him. His birthday happened to be in June, so she chose that month for the new "Father's Day."

With the enthusiastic support of the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA, the first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910. By 1914, President Wilson had personally approved of the idea. Further support came from President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday in June as Father's Day.

But are these "holidays" truly honoring our fathers and mothers in Spirit and in truth?

In the original Hebrew language, the word honor actually means to provide with material substance. It is written, "Honor widows that are widows indeed." (1 Tim 5:3). The passage goes on to say, "If any man or woman that believes have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged: that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." (1 Tim 5:16).

In TRUTH, the fifth Commandment charges us with the reciprocal responsibility of taking care of our fathers and mothers when they are aged. As the financial systems of this world continue to be shaken, it is simply an imperative that we truly honor our fathers and mothers - with deeds, and not just with days...

Remember O Yisrael, this is the first commandment with promise; and therefore we would do well to honor our mothers according to the truth of YAH - and not the vain traditions of men!

Shalom Aleichem!

Prophet's Commentary