Midwives ‘stand with’ women who are with child. Midwives guide women in bringing beautiful new life to birth. Elizabeth acts as a midwife to Mary of Nazareth. She guides her young cousin most especially in a spiritual way. One example is by Elizabeth receiving Mary and her baby with great joy. Mary, as any young … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand With Life”
Tag: Mary of Nazareth
Midwife: To Stand with All Mothers
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 … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand with All Mothers”
Midwife: To Stand With All Fathers
Midwives ‘stand with’ women who are with child. Midwives guide women in bringing beautiful new life to birth. Humanity does not always give witness to the lifegiving spirituality of women, nor to the birthing guidance of midwives. If it did, we would not be grieving Ahmaud Arbery. We would not be imprisoning Travis McMichael. Travis … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand With All Fathers”
Midwife: To Stand With
Mary is pregnant in difficult times. She embodies the circumstance of so many women across history and across our world. Who will be with Mary through the difficulties? Who will guide her in bringing beautiful new life to birth? Women have always been with women. Midwives are women who ‘stand with’ pregnant women. Mid is … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand With”
Women Are Wise
Today’s Old Testament reading unfortunately begins with a fool, the warrior King David. He is feeling anxious because he is not currently laboring at killing, “the LORD has given him rest from his enemies.” The Gospel reading fortunately tells of a wise soul, the lover Mary. She is feeling at peace for she will soon … Continue reading “Women Are Wise”
Women are Truthful
Spending time this Advent with Mary, and women in general, we can discover women are truthful. We hear Mary sing a song from the Gospel of Luke, the Magnificat. The Magnificat is the classic rendition of speaking truth to power, but, since Mary is power, it is really about speaking truth to control, speaking truth … Continue reading “Women are Truthful”
Women Are Powerful
Spending time this Advent with Mary, and women in general, we can discover women are powerful. We would not know that power from today’s Old Testament reading. It promotes atonement, meaning it promotes “sin” and “guilt.” The Gospel reading does not promote atonement but does address it John in the desert. He proclaims “a baptism … Continue reading “Women Are Powerful”
Women Are Adventurers
If we spend time this Advent with Mary, and women in general, what might we discover? Today’s Advent readings lend themselves to discovering women are adventurers. The Old Testament addresses “wanderers”, but it is a rebuke. People have wandered far from their family of origin, the tribe with its law and traditions. Such ventures prove … Continue reading “Women Are Adventurers”