To be a midwife is “to stand with,” to guide someone to bring forth life. Bringing forth life can be messy and chaotic and requires we give ourselves to unknowns. But we embrace what is messy and chaotic for we are miracle workers and we step into the unknown. In the vastness of what is unknown, we radiate the energy of life. We nurture ourselves with healthy people and places, healthy practices and possibilities. Lest we think we are in control of this miracle of life we are nauseous and sore and swollen and sweating. We are unable to control our body and our body’s most basic functions. And we cope, we deal with it. Birthing asks us to relinquish control and deal with that loss. Doing so brings a marvelous transformation. New life is born. We too are born, again. We are born, again, to forever stand with those who are vulnerable. We are born, again, to forever stand with the poor, the outcast, those judged sinners. We will stand with dignity and we will stand with the dignity of all others. It is the witness of today’s Advent feast, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the witness of Juan Diego who envisions her. The supremacist elements of this season’s feast do not alter the core truth both indigenous people, Mary and Juan, reveal about humanity. It is every vulnerable pregnant woman of no seeming consequence, and every equally vulnerable and seemingly inconsequential common man who stands with her and beholds her dignity, who are the measure and the hope of the world. The impression Mary left on Juan’s cloak matches the impression both leave on our lives. We are impressed to live an outmost love born from our inmost depth. We receive the heart of another who is vulnerable, so many others who are vulnerable. We open ourselves to having their love impressed upon our lives. Shared lives which are ever so fragile and seemingly small yet magnificent and growing. We learn to impress such love upon the lives of others. Together, we impress such love upon all humanity. We can, each of us, be mothers. We can, each of us, give birth to a whole of humanity who will care, deeply and tenderly so.
Prayer: Mary and Juan, guide us in giving birth to a loving humanity.
Question: What is the impression of love left upon me? What is the impression of love I leave upon others?
December 12, 2021 Gospel Luke 3:10-18 Third Sunday of Advent