A Tribute to All Mothers on Mother’s Day
By Enn Crave Baybay
“How can I love the Lord without loving my mother? A mother is a reflection of God’s love. Giving life is one of God’s greatest gifts.”
– Enn Crave Baybay
Everything seemed destined to fulfill my youthful dream of becoming a priest.
A week after my high school graduation in 1966, Benedictine nuns came to our home carrying a welcome letter from Fr. Lacson, OSB, Rector of the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat (San Beda College) in Manila. My college scholarship, sponsored by the Benedictine Order, had been approved.
I owed this blessing to our beloved Sister Eugene, a Benedictine nun from Guinobatan, Albay, who had always believed in me. A year before my graduation, Sister Eugene passed away. Yet the visiting nuns assured me that before her death, she had already secured my scholarship.
My mother was overjoyed by my chosen vocation. She believed serving God was one of the noblest paths a son could take. But as the day of my departure drew near, something changed in my heart.
When a young man enters the priesthood, the family understands that he may be gone for many years. As I prepared to leave home, I saw the sadness in my mother’s eyes. I tried to comfort her, telling her that everything would be fine. Yet deep inside, I felt the pain of her loneliness.
I will never forget my mother’s tears.
Her sorrow pierced my heart as though she were losing a son forever.
Then, unexpectedly, the nuns returned a few days later with another opportunity — a scholarship at the same college where I had graduated. At that moment, I felt that God was placing a choice before me.
And I chose my mother.
Even today, tears fill my eyes whenever I remember that moment. Honoring my mother became one of the greatest decisions of my life. I stood between two loves: my dream of serving God as a priest and my love for the woman who gave me life.
For a time, I wondered if I had abandoned God.
But then I realized: how can I truly love the Lord without loving my mother? A mother is a reflection of God’s own love. Through her sacrifice, care, and unconditional devotion, we experience the very compassion of God Himself.
Life is God’s greatest gift, and our mothers are His instruments in giving that gift to us.
As the years passed, I came to understand that God never abandoned me. He continued to guide my journey according to His divine plan. And through all the seasons of my life, I found the enduring love of my beloved mother — a love that reflected the goodness of God.
To all mothers around the world: your tears, sacrifices, and unconditional love never go unnoticed.
God bless all mothers, and Happy Mother’s Day!
– Enn Crave Baybay
A Chronicle of My Life
Life's Chronicle 