My beloved friends and family, God’s Grace and Love be with each of you.

Today’s gospel reading reminds us that a mother is someone willing to cast aside—and even allow

to be trampled upon—her pride, position, and social standing for the sake of her children. In the

biblical passage before us, a mother—whose deep love for her child was overshadowed by the

suffering caused by her demon-possessed daughter—approaches Jesus and pleads with Him to

heal her child. Yet, in Matthew 15:26, Jesus replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and

toss it to the dogs." To this, the mother persuasively responded, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat

the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." For the sake of her child, this mother did not hesitate

to humble herself to the level of a lowly dog; seeking even mere crumbs for her child, she effectively

reduced herself to nothing more than a crumb. For the sake of her child, that mother became like a

speck of dust—a thing of utter insignificance in the eyes of the world.

Every human being possesses a sense of pride—a concrete barrier, as it were—to protect their own

self-worth; yet, for the sake of her children, a mother willingly surrenders that pride. She spares no

effort if it ensures her children’s well-being. To bring a smile to her children’s faces, mothers shed

tears in secret; and so that their children may enjoy the comforts of life, mothers—standing on the

opposite side—deny themselves any such pleasures. To ensure their children’s bellies were full,

mothers ate less themselves; and to place tastier, finer foods into their children’s mouths, mothers

consumed only what was bland and coarse. To clothe their children in fine garments, mothers wore

the very same outfit for twelve long months of the year. To spare their children the humiliation of

being called ignorant, mothers endured that very insult countless times themselves.

A mother is a being willing to let herself be trampled underfoot for the sake of her children; indeed,

people throughout history and across cultures have long observed that while a woman may be frail,

a mother is strong. They say: “A woman’s beauty may be fleeting—radiant only in her young age—

but a mother’s beauty is eternal. A woman seeks to make herself shine, but a mother seeks to make

her children shine. There are countless women in the world, but there is only one mother.”

Live Science, a U.S. science publication, cited a scientific reason why mothers deserve to be

treated with special care by their children: "Because mothers endure far more physical suffering

than fathers." Research indicates that women experience 2.5 times more physical ailments than

men; the article asserts that "simply by virtue of having given birth, a mother is entitled to a lifetime

of foot massages from her children."

Furthermore, mothers tend to spend more time with their children than fathers do. The fact that they

devote such a significant amount of time to their children's affairs inevitably means they provide a

greater degree of attention and care. Consequently, children share a closer bond with their mothers.

It is commonly understood that human beings inherit half of their genes from their mother and the

other half from their father.

However, recent studies have revealed that—for reasons yet to be fully understood—a mother's

genes exert a significantly greater influence on the physical and biological makeup of her children.

Let us consider one stark example. If a mother undergoes a highly stressful experience while her

fetus is still in the womb, the child faces a heightened risk of developing anxiety disorders.

Research has also demonstrated that a mother’s diet during pregnancy can directly influence her

child’s genetic makeup. Consequently, a child is inevitably afforded more opportunities to be

profoundly shaped by their mother’s influence.

However, there are certain things that even parents cannot do: “We brought you into this world, but

we cannot live your life for you; we can provide you with an education, but the act of learning

remains your responsibility.” Furthermore, “We can offer guidance, but we cannot always stand by

your side to lead you,” and “We can grant you freedom, but the responsibility for how you exercise

that freedom rests entirely with you.” “We can teach you the difference between right and wrong,

but we cannot always make your decisions for you; we can buy you fine clothes, but we cannot

purchase inner beauty for you.” “We can offer you advice, but accepting that advice is up to you; we

can teach you the virtue of filial piety, but we cannot force you to practice it.” These constitute the

limits of parenthood—the very source of parents’ deepest anxieties and their most profound

sorrows.

A parent’s deepest anguish is the moment they realize they can do nothing for their child. Although

they stand ready to sacrifice everything for their children, when they find themselves utterly

powerless to act, there remains but one thing they can do: weep. While their tears certainly flow

from sorrow and pain, they weep most of all because they cannot step in and bear the burden in

their child's stead.

Yet, as we look at today’s Scripture passage, we see that there is, in fact, something that can be

done. We witness a mother—filled with joy at the realization that she has encountered a truly

extraordinary figure who can intervene on her child's behalf—risking her very life to plead with

desperate urgency. She fulfilled the role of a channel of life for her children, casting aside her own

status, pride, shame, and value for appearances.

It was because of the Gospel —because it was for the sake of her children's lives and future—that

she sacrificed herself. The true essence of being a channel of life lies in the fact that the Lord—who

is capable of doing something for your children—resides within you.

I pray that you will effectively share this blessing with your children.

God bless you.

Your pastor, Oon Don