Juliana Chukwuyem EMORE

Email: friendlycareconsultcentre@gmail.com

 

What Truly Makes a Mother?

They called her Miss Angela, never Mummy. She had no children of her own nor a husband by her side, yet in her small parish, she was the heartbeat of compassion. She mothered not with biology, but with presence.

She noticed the unnoticed.

She fed the child who came to Mass hungry.

She spoke gently to the angry teenager, but no one wanted to understand.

Sitting beside the grieving widow, she said, “You are still needed.”

To most, she was just another Churchwoman.

To the few whose lives she touched, she was a mother.

 

Motherhood beyond Biology

In many societies and even within faith traditions, motherhood is often tied to childbirth. But this definition is narrow. True motherhood transcends biology. It is not simply born from the womb, but from the soul.

To mother is to nurture; To mother is to protect, without suffocating; To mother is to sacrifice self-comfort for the good of another; To mother is to believe in someone when they can’t yet believe in themselves; You don’t need a child in your arms to be a mother, and You need love in your actions and wisdom in your gaze.

 

The Sacred Tradition of Non-Biological Mothers

The Bible is filled with women who mothered without birthing:

• Deborah, a judge, was called “a mother in Israel.” She led a nation with courage and counsel, not with lullabies and cradles.
• Mary Magdalene stood at the tomb when others fled. She carried the news of the Resurrection, the heartbeat of the Church’s hope.
• Ruth followed Naomi with fierce loyalty. Her love gave birth to a lineage that led to the Messiah.

These women didn’t give birth to children; they gave birth to courage, legacy, and faith.

 

The Psychology of Mothering

Motherhood, psychologists say, is not merely anatomical; it is emotional and relational.

Women, regardless of their maternal status, often possess:

• Emotional intelligence involves reading and responding with empathy.
• Oxytocin is the hormone that deepens connection and trust.
• Innate relational wiring, a tendency to build community and offer care.

It means that any woman—teacher, coach, nurse, neighbor, or religious sister — can carry the heart of a mother.

 

Modern Mothers of the Soul

• A nun who rocks crying orphans at night is a mother.
• A single woman tutoring village children is a mother.
• A teenager mentoring her anxious younger sibling is acting like a mother.
• A widow who prays over families and shares her bread is a mother.

They are not from duty, but from love.

 

Why the Church Needs Soul Mothers

Today’s Church needs more than titles and roles. It requires the presence of mothers of the soul.

In a world full of emotionally disconnected youth, lonely adults, and broken homes, a nurturing woman is not a luxury; she’s a lifeline.

She is the face of Mary to a hurting world.

She reflects the embrace of Heaven.

She is balm in a bruised society.

 

Every Woman is Called to This Sacred Role

1. Be Present. You don’t need a platform, just your presence. Listen. Smile. Stay.

2. See the Invisible. Ask God to open your eyes to the overlooked, the rebellious teen, the weary mother, the awkward loner.

3. Use Your Gifts.

Whether you cook, teach, write, or sing, your gifts are tools for nurture.

 

Heal So You Can Mother Whole

Even Jesus withdrew to rest. If he needed renewal, how much more do we?

Healing isn’t selfish; it’s preparation.

A healed woman no longer reacts to her wounds.

She responds with wisdom, sets boundaries, and loves with clarity.

She becomes safe, whole, and radiant with grace.

Because a healed woman becomes a healer.

A woman embraced by grace becomes a mother of grace to others.

So, take time, Pray, Rest, Cry, Laugh, Journal, Get help and Heal. Let the love of God fill you so profoundly that it spills into every room you enter.

Then, like Miss Angela, you’ll find that you don’t have to be called “Mummy” to be a mother.

You already are, by the way you love.

 

Conclusion

Motherhood is not confined to biology; it is a sacred posture of the heart. Whether through whispered prayers, quiet acts of kindness, or simply showing up for someone in need, every woman carries within her the divine capacity to mother. In a world desperate for connection, healing, and hope, women like Miss Angela remind us that true motherhood is found in presence, not pedigree, love, not labels.

To mother is to reflect the heart of God: nurturing, watching, lifting, and believing. So whether you have children of your own or not, your ability to mother the world around you is real, powerful, and deeply needed. Let us honor all women who mother in unseen ways and answer the quiet, holy call to be life-givers—not just through birth, but through love.

Because sometimes the greatest mothers… are the ones who were never called “Mummy.”