For the Mother Who Is Hurting + Next Week’s Gospel Reflection

A mother asked, “What did I do wrong?” This is for her, followed by NEXT Sunday’s Gospel reflection and discussion questions

Note From Me: For the Mother Who Is Hurting

Not long ago, a mother wrote to me with a broken heart.

She shared what’s been happening with her child, and then she asked the question that keeps her up at night: What did I do wrong? There was so much grief in her words, not just over what is, but over what she thought life would be. She wondered if a mom like her belonged in the Church.

I’ve been thinking of her since. This is for her, and maybe for you.

Maybe your child has made a choice you don’t understand. Maybe they’re walking a path you never imagined. Maybe you feel blindsided, confused, heartbroken… maybe even betrayed.

You did the things you believed were right, prayed, showed up, had the hard conversations, and still, it feels like you’re watching someone you love slip through your fingers. And the question comes: Where did I go wrong? Was it all for nothing?

Let me say something you might not be able to feel yet, but it’s true: You are not a failure. You are not being punished. You are not alone.

You are a real mother with a real heart, loving the best way you know how. You are showing up. You are praying. You are carrying questions that don’t have easy answers.

And God sees all of it.

Our children are not projects we can perfect. They are their own people: free, beloved, made in God’s image. They have their own will, their own story, and sometimes that story takes turns we never would have chosen.

That’s not a reflection of your worth. It’s the risk of loving deeply.

God is not done.