We feel new life growing within us and realize we will face challenges in sharing the child we bring to birth. In today’s readings, neither Isaiah nor Paul give priority to new life. They give priority to old beliefs about obedience to the “House of David.” Paul’s priority on obedience to the warrior David deprioritizes the Spirit alive in his age. For example, Paul gives no attention to the peacemaker Mary being alive with the Spirit of a challenging peacemaker. Peacemakers are willing, as Jesus was, to appreciate the wisdom of the past and also to challenge the harm of the past. As peacemakers in a culture of warmakers, we are always a challenge as we attempt to bring forth new life in the Spirit. Maude Dominica Petre (1863–1942) lived her life as a challenge, specifically challenging obedience to the past and the harm it did. Maude understood Jesus’ life and our lives as disciples was not to be reduced to obedience, certainly not through theology bound to the ancient Old Testament, Paul, nor the Scholastics. Jesus was not born to share old rules nor logical analyses that normalized Greek philosophy for people. Jesus moved with the Spirit, telling thoughtful stories to provoke conscience among the people. Maude too moved with the Spirit and shared Jesus’ conscientious authority across communities. She did so during a time the Church demanded unquestioning obedience. When Maude authored books about disciples following Jesus’ Way and thus challenging Church hierarchy, her works were attacked and placed on the Church’s Index of Forbidden Books. Authoring a conscientious life has always been attacked by warriors seeking obedience; in Jesus’ time, Maude’s, and certainly our own. Like Jesus, like Maude, we keep thinking freely, for new life is growing within us. We know it is ‘through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in us.’
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, guide us in bringing new life to birth.
Question: How is the Spirit alive in me?
December 21, 2025 Gospel Matthew 1:18-24 Fourth Sunday of Advent