Mother's Day.Abbot Tryphon

Mother's Day

I am grateful for the love of my mother

The most important gift I received from my mother was the gift of love. She loved me, and demonstrated her love for me throughout my childhood. She also showed me how to love others, and that ability to be willing to be open to love, and to demonstrate love, eventually allowed me to love God.

It was from my mother that I discovered that God was not simply there as a cosmic problem solver, or gift giver, but was, like her, One Who loved me. God, like my mother, first loved me, and the lessons of love that I learned from her enabled me to be open to the love of God.

In turn, the gift of love that came from my mother allowed me to see God not as my own private possession, but rather a loving God I wanted to share with others. Much of my desire to become a priest was built upon the foundation of love of Christ instilled in me through my mother's own love of the Saviour, and her willingness to be in service to others.

It was also from my mother that I learned the importance of overlooking the bad behavior of others. When strife and divisions occurred in our extended family, or even in our neighborhood, my mom would demonstrate the importance of forgiving everyone, and not taking sides.

With her Norwegian roots (she was related to the Norwegian Royal Family), and her love of classical music (she was a much respected piano and organ teacher, even winning the National Piano Teacher of the Year award), this beautify lady was humble and kind to everyone. When I served her Orthodox funeral, many of her former students attended, and shared their fond memories of this brilliant music teacher.

Many of my cousins have related how much they looked forward to spending a week or two during the summer at our family home on the lake in Sandpoint, Idaho, where music filled the air, and my mom's great cooking filled the bellies of happy kids.

Together with my father, Albert, who was himself an accomplished golf pro, I was raised knowing that I was loved and accepted by my parents, and I see much of who I am today as a reflection of the two of them. They both loved God, and ended their final years as Orthodox Christians. They continued to love and respect others, regardless of their status in the community.

Once when my dad overheard me bragging to a high school friend about my mom's link to royalty, and my father's Scottish aristocratic heritage (I inherited his family crest), I was told that what really mattered was what kind of man I'd become. "If you don't become a kind, humble, loving, and generous man, no amount of aristocratic roots will mean a thing", he told me.

I am forever grateful to God for having gifted me with such wonderful, loving parents. Even though I am 72 years old, I still miss them both, and feel like an orphan, for their loss.

Love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon

Happy Mothers Day to all those who are moms, and to whose who love and serve others like moms.

Photo: On this Mothers Day, I remember with great fondness my beloved mother, Dolores Parsons (Elisabeth in Orthodoxy) 2008+. Memory eternal, O Lord, grant unto Thy servant Elisabeth.