Sentence:  "<WSD>Mothering</WSD> Sunday," the fourth Sunday in Lent, when absent sons and daughters — particularly the young apprentices — would return to their homes with some little present for both parents, but more especially for the mother. ...Imagine the ... pride of the mother in the simple gift, and the admiration of the small brothers and sisters who gathered around and longed for the time when they also would be out in the great unknown world and could come "a-<WSD>mothering</WSD>." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Shortened form of a-mothering ; practice of visiting one's literal or figurative mother or mother church (compare Mothering Sunday).