O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice! O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb; for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls.
I've been reading up on the birthing process as well as the baby's physiological transition from the womb to our world.The process of giving birth to this heavenly, innocent little miracle is so...earthly. A woman in labor can demonstrate fear, joy, carnal behaviors, and experience both the overwhelming physical power of her body and never-before felt fatigue. It is sexual, messy and leaves little room for modesty. It is a beautiful thing; a beautiful, very human thing. All the effort pushes out a colorful little being covered in fluids and, hopefully, screaming its little head off to open its lungs and quick-start its own circulation of oxygenated blood.Most people think that a newborn baby is definitely sweet, but not too cute looking.
To imagine Christ God being born,squeezed from Mary's womb, coming out all purpleish-pink, wet and crying is almost unimaginable to me. She probably immediately put him to her breast, and I'm sure he was a good eater. She kept him warm, and he responded to her voice. They bonded like every mother and baby should at birth. It gives me a whole new perspective when I look at Mary holding the child Jesus in her arms as they are presenting each other to the world, cheek-to-cheek (Jesus usually gesturing toward Mary, and Mary toward Jesus). It is so natural. It is as if Jesus is saying: "this is my mother whom I respect and love above all else on this earth". And she is saying:"this is my baby, my son, our God and promised King". He says to the Church: "Love her as I love her; now she is your mother as well" (as he said on the cross to his disciple). And Mary says: "Look to Jesus and adore and honor Him. He is here for you as much as for me. This little one will one day save our very souls."
I can't imagine saying/thinking that about my own child! How did she balance the humility that came with knowing that her son is actually her GOD with her duty to nurture, protect, and simply raise this boy?...and balance in her mind her relationship with him as his physical mother and spiritual daughter? Their relationship is a wonderful miracle in itself. I believe that God's grace seeped into every part of her being to sanctify her as no other human will experience/achieve until the Kingdom arrives. Of course her purity was not complete, she was of course human. But who can claim to be closer in communion with God than Mary? And isn't that what purifies us?The closer we get to Him the more his fire burns us. So I am beginning to deeply love and revere the Blessed Theotokos. I praise and thank God for who he made her to be. I can only hope and pray that I will learn to be some part of the woman, mother and true Christian that she is.
O Theotokos, by Thine intercession and help we send up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
1 comments:
Dearest petronia,
what a great post! I do not remember if I have ever told you that I became a believer through Mary. I read the Gospel and came to the part where Mary was standing near the cross and I could not read further, I strted crying. I was already a mother of two children and I knew what it means to love your son and it was so painful to think that a mother can stand near her son crusified without her heart breaking. Antway, motherhood certainlt helps understand. I am very grateful for you.
Much love,
O.S.
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