““Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.””
As human beings, we all face the eventual decline and end of life. For those with aging or terminally ill mothers, this stage brings with it both emotional pain and sacred opportunity. The story of Ruth the Moabite, found in the Old Testament's Book of Ruth, offers timeless guidance on how to honor, love, and care for mothers during their final chapter. By pairing Ruth’s example with modern principles of palliative and hospice care, we find a deeply compassionate roadmap for supporting our mothers as they near the end of their time here on earth.
Ruth’s Devotion: A Model of End-of-Life Compassion
Ruth was not Naomi’s biological daughter but her daughter-in-law, yet her love surpassed cultural and biological ties. After the deaths of their husbands, Naomi—mourning in her old age—decided to return to her homeland in Bethlehem. She urged Ruth to stay in Moab and rebuild her life. Ruth, however, refused to leave Naomi alone in her suffering, proclaiming, “Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God”(Ruth 1:16).
This profound declaration embodies the essence of palliative and hospice care: presence, loyalty, and dignity in the face of loss and transition. Ruth didn’t see Naomi as a burden. Instead, she saw her as someone worthy of love and companionship, even in suffering.
Understanding Palliative and Hospice Care
Before applying Ruth's example, it's important to understand the distinction between palliative care and hospice care:
Palliative care focuses on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and improving quality of life for those with serious illnesses. It can be given alongside curative treatments.
Hospice care is a type of palliative care for individuals who are nearing the end of life, typically with a prognosis of six months or less. It centers on comfort, dignity, and emotional and spiritual support.
Both emphasize the importance of whole-person care—treating not only physical pain, but also emotional, social, and spiritual needs. These principles mirror Ruth’s tender, holistic care for Naomi.
Walking With Our Mothers Through Final Days
Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi is a beautiful lesson in how we are called to accompany our mothers during their final stage of life—not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Naomi felt hopeless and bitter, even to the point of changing her name to “Mara” (which means bitter in Hebrew). Yet Ruth did not abandon her. She walked with Naomi through grief, poverty, uncertainty, and transition.
In modern care, this reflects the palliative principle of presence—being there, even when there’s nothing to “fix.” Holding a hand, sharing memories, praying together, or simply sitting in silence can be profoundly healing. Ruth’s example teaches us that our presence can be a balm when words fail.
Respecting Their Choices and Preserving Dignity
Palliative and hospice care emphasize respect for patient autonomy. This includes listening to their wishes about treatment, where they want to spend their final days, and how they want to be remembered. Ruth never forced Naomi to act against her will. She respected her agency, even as she gently walked alongside her.
Likewise, honoring our mothers at the end of life includes allowing them the dignity of making decisions—even when they choose differently than we might. Respect can mean supporting a mother’s wish to receive home hospice care rather than being in a hospital. It can mean creating a space for her to voice out fears, hopes, and spiritual questions.
Serving in Practical and Loving Ways
When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth became the provider. She gleaned in the fields to ensure they had food. Her actions show compassion in motion—tending to practical needs without complaint or hesitation.
At the end of life, mothers often require help with basic tasks: feeding, hygiene, mobility, or medications. Rather than seeing these acts as chores, Ruth teaches us to view them as sacred opportunities to serve. In doing so, we affirm their value, even in vulnerability. Hospice nurses often speak of the honor it is to care for patients in these intimate ways. As family, we can share in that honor by showing love through our acts of service.
Listening to Grief and Creating A SAFE Space
Naomi felt forgotten by God and believed her life was over. Ruth didn’t argue or try to cheer her up with false optimism. She listened. She stayed. She accompanied Naomi in her grief.
This aligns with spiritual care principles in hospice, which prioritize listening over fixing. Our mothers may feel fear, regret, or sorrow as they approach death. Creating space for those feelings—without judgment or interruption—is one of the deepest forms of respect we can offer. Ruth shows us that being a safe and loving presence can be more powerful than any other solution.
Leaving a Legacy of Love
By honoring Naomi, Ruth not only got her own redemption, but became part of God’s redemptive story, eventually marrying Boaz and becoming the great-grandmother of King David—and later on, an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Likewise, when we love and honor our mothers at the end of life, we become part of a legacy. The care we give doesn’t die with them—it becomes a lasting testimony. We also set an example to younger generations on what it means to value elders and preserve human dignity, even in their decline.
Faith, Family, and the Eternal Perspective
End-of-life care is not just about medical solutions—it is deeply spiritual. Ruth didn’t just accompany Naomi in body, but also in faith: “Your God will be my God.” She was willing to adopt Naomi’s relationship with God, reminding us that caring for a dying mother often involves sharing her spiritual journey.
Whether it’s reading Scripture, praying, singing hymns, or just sitting quietly in the presence of God, these moments at life’s end can be holy. In hospice care, chaplains often play a significant role for this, but family members can do the same. Ruth’s faith-filled loyalty teaches us to prioritize spiritual comfort as much as physical care.
A Sacred Calling
The story of Ruth the Moabite isn’t just a tale of ancient loyalty—it’s a wonderful guide on how to love, serve, and honor our mothers at the end of their lives. When we combine her example with the compassionate principles of palliative and hospice care, we are invited into a sacred calling: to walk with our mothers through their final days with grace, dignity, and selfless love.
In a world that often shies away from death, Ruth shows us the courage it takes to stand close to it—not in fear, but in love. And in doing so, we fulfill one of the most important commandments of God: “Honor your father and your mother.” Not only in their strength, but especially in their final moments.