Like Mary, Pakistani mothers are candles that burn for peace and for the future
Faisalabad (AsiaNews) - A "mother is like a candle who burns herself giving light to her children," a view shared by the people who took part in a seminar titled 'A Tribute to Mother' held last Sunday at the Centre for Peace and Harmony in Faisalabad. It was organised by the Arooj-e-Mariam Catholic Church (AMCC) to honour all mothers, who are the foremost symbol of life, sacrifice and love.
Dozens of people attended the meeting, scheduled to coincide with International Mother's Day. They included priests, youth, teachers and members of civil society groups. In plays, speeches, poetry, songs and quotations, they all stressed the role mothers and women play in society. Children offered gifts, like cakes, flowers and picture frames to their mothers.
"God filled women's hearts with love and concern for their children" irrespective of the way they look, their age, whether they are obedient or not, healthy or disabled, said Aqsa Kanwal, AMCC's women rights project coordinator. A mother's love is unconditional.
Mothers are called to be without any gender bias, showing as much care for their boys as for their girls, by providing them with an education and respect so that "they can play a positive role in improving society."
For Fr Bonnie Mendes, "The celebration of Mother's Day is a necessity in Pakistan" because a mother's teachings "are the bases for all knowledge."
Our Lady, he added, "is an example for all mothers" because she stood by her son's side until his death. Hence, "We must stand by all mothers so that they can raise their children who may in the future contribute to the nation's development."
"Mothers can play a positive role in promoting peace by giving toys that instil the value of peace rather than war and violence, like toy guns, rifles, swords, etc," said Fr Nisar Barkat, who is the priest of the parish where the AMCC is located.
They can do the same through the language they use within the home, he added.
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