God-

I confess. I cannot keep up.

It is, I think, the confession of most mothers I know.

In chaos and questions,

in the uncertainty about their own mothers and their own children,

in the uncertainty about everyone else’s mothers and children,

in the uncertainty about themselves,

they confess,

they cannot keep up and they are afraid because of it.

God, Peter lived in a time of chaos and questions, too.

So did Mary and Esther and Ruth and Deborah and Eunice and Lois and Elizabeth and Joanna and Phoebe and Sarah and Miriam and Abigail.

And Peter spoke to them and us and all of your people with words of courage and promise and peace.

I ask God, for my sisters, for mothers and daughters, that in this chaos and questions you will help them believe and own these words:

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I ask this with gratitude for them,

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.