Pregnant

Advent IV  Luke 1:39-55

Pregnancy is a gift, a rare gift that few receive.

The biology of pregnancy does not diminish the reality of wonder and amazement of life that emerges from within small places, in deep darkness, regardless of our own efforts.   While many women will never be pregnant, and too many will experience a pregnancy against their hopes and wishes, yet a growing new life remains a miraculous event.

There is a moment an expectant woman waits for, the first movement of her child within. Women today anticipate hearing the sound of a first heartbeat or seeing movement through an ultrasound.  Even those sounds and sights cannot replace the wonder of the inner movement of a life that is both part of and yet separate from an expectant mother.  Some liken it to a butterfly, a wing brushing an inner wall.  Some call it a stirring within, or “quickening”.  To feel something growing inside, which is not a cyst or fibroid tumor to cut out, a cancerous growth, a hernia or misshaped organ, but a separate, new individual being within one’s own being is inexpressible.  It is a miracle.  It is a gift.

Elizabeth and Mary spent perhaps 3 months together, sharing pregnancy, sharing the stirrings within.  Elizabeth, an older relative who had been called, “barren”, or lifeless, was 6 months pregnant when Mary arrived, newly pregnant.  Elizabeth had “starting to show” the life growing within. When these pregnant women conferred about their first pregnancies, no doubt there was shared wonderings, fears, questions, encouragement, and much laughter.  Certainly there were tears, for no reason at all, as hormones were rearranged as much as bodies were working to create new space for what would be.  There was wise, older, Elizabeth sharing her ‘vast’ 6 months experiences with young Mary who was just beginning the journey toward birthing. Imagine the community of women who came alongside them, sharing stories and counsel, a sacrament of communal anticipation, giving voice to the “what ifs?” and settling into sharing the divine mystery of life. 

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, her child within, perhaps startled by Elizabeth’s joy, leapt within her womb. Within the womb some unborn ones seem to turn summersaults or cartwheels, or begin an early career playing soccer with knees and elbows twisting and poking, dancing within.  Anticipation and joy surrounded and embodied Elizabeth and her baby.  “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” declared Elizabeth to Mary.  Filled with Spirit, hers was a blessing prayer on Mary but also upon herself, both blessed, happy, excited women with life growing within them.  “Blessed is she who believed what was spoken to her by the Lord.”  Spirit led, they did believe and embrace the word of the Lord spoken to them and within them.  Mary sang and Elizabeth, the other women, and we also can join in the chorus singing: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.”  “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

The mystery of birth and the mystery of incarnation, en-flesh-ment, becoming a real living, breathing life too often is removed from ourselves.  Pregnancy, bringing to birth is relegated to others.  Special women, Mary and Elizabeth, enflesh God’s promises of new life…Not me.  Women are impregnated, expected to open their beings to nurturing and welcoming life within…Not men.  The Spirit of God resides and fills and speaks in certain people of long ago…Not today. 

We are full of excuses in which to keep the birth of God in us removed from us.  At arm’s length we can rehearse the story belonging to Mary and Elizabeth, a story outside our own experience.  If St. Paul is correct that in God “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) as within the womb of God, and if Jesus’ prayer that his followers would be united and one in God even as Jesus was united in God, then it follows that as God brings us to life within the being of God, so also the very life of God is to be enfleshed, impregnated, come alive and be born in us.  God invites us to be filled with the Spirit and to declare blessing and favor, to recognize God’s presence within each one.  As we embrace a God life within us, allow our bodies, minds, and spirits to be shaped, to expand to allow room for life to grow within us, then we with Mary sing, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for God has looked with favor  on this insignificant life and makes it important.’ 

Is it possible to consider your self pregnant with God?  Can we allow the stretching of our inner selves to accommodate making room in our lives for God’s life with us?  Like expectant mothers and fathers, could I refashion life’s focus and pay attention, shift my efforts and considerations toward new life that is born to me in Christ every day?  Welcoming God’s birthing within us, are we open and willing to step into the mystery of the unknown journey that will transpire and will transform our living?  Mary said,  “Let it be with me according to your word.”  With joy and wonder Elizabeth embraced God’s working within.  “Blessed are [they] who believe that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken.”  May we be so blessed.

 

Holy God who comes disguised in birth,
come with your Spirit and fill us to believing
that your word is real for us.
Enable us to believe that you are within us
bringing Life to us and through us.
Come, creep inside our hearts, our minds,
our lives and make your home in us,
so we may make our home in you.
Impregnate us with you.
May our souls declare your glory and goodness.
May our spirits rejoice in God our savior.  Amen