I received the book “Herb Gathering Grandmother’s Single Eyed Love” in the mail recently from a priest in the diocese. I have no way of judging if that is a good translation of 나물 할머니의 외눈박이 사랑, a book of meditations on a mother’s love. On Parents Day May 8 it is a good time to reflect on a mother’s love.
The priest is one who has had many big positions in the diocese. He was the rector of the seminary and the head of the marriage tribunal and now a pastor of a big city parish. His mother died two years ago at the age of 92 and this book is his meditative reflections on the past 40 years of his mother's life. He has written many books but this is his first one with a strong emotional content. The reason for the title is that his mother when he was rector of the seminary would in the spring gather herbs from the nearby hills and acorns in the fall to make acorn jelly to give to the seminarians. She was called 'herb gathering grandmother' by the seminarians.
He writes: “I learned to pray in my mother’s womb, I learned about love at her knees, at her breast I received my Faith. When there were difficulties she would pray before the cross. That prayer has been the support of my life. My mother has been my breath, my love, and my respected teacher.”
The priest was very honest in the portrayal of the difficulties of his mother and one of them was a husband who was not always there when she needed him. She had to feed the family with her selling different commodities, and take care of her 6 children. He has seen the problems that married couples have had and hopes that his transparency in some way will help those families.
On Parent’s Day it is a good time to reflect on our parents love and in this case the sacrifice and service of the Korean Mothers.
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