Today is Mothering Sunday.  Unlike the American ‘Mother’s Day’ later in the year it is an ancient tradition rather than an invention of greeting card industry.  The entrance antiphon, and in the Extraordinary Form of Mass (Tridentine) the Epistle, refer to Jerusalem as our heavenly mother.  It was this theme that gave rise to the custom of honouring ‘Mother-Church’ and then our human mothers on this day.  We pray for all our mothers, living and dead.  The readings today, however, focus once again on those preparing for baptism.  The first reading tells how Samuel anoints David as King – a sign of God’s blessing – and points to the preliminary anointing that takes place at baptism, a ceremony that can be anticipated today for those preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil.  The Gospel is the story of the man born blind and given his sight.  Faith brings us the light of Christ and the technical term for those preparing for baptism at Easter is ‘the enlightened’ because the light of Christ is already showing them the path ahead and on the day of baptism will be symbolised by the Easter Candle and the candle they will receive.