Yesterday Christians celebrated Jesus’ birth. Recently, I read a reflection that got me thinking about childbirth. So, I thought I would begin the Christmastide season by reflecting on the gifts and dangers of childbirth.
Anyone who has been responsible for a child knows that childbirth heralds massive changes in the lives of all concerned. Giving birth not only threatens the health of the mother and child, but also transforms the way of life to which the parents have become accustomed.
The angel Gabriel didn’t talk about that, of course, when he came to visit Mary (I’ll have more to say on his message next week). The biblical account focuses on her willingness to say yes and on what Jesus will mean for his people, but not on what a difference it will make in Mary’s body and soul to become pregnant and give birth.
Modern scholars are combing through the ancient sources we do have to get a sense of what childbirth was like for women in Mary’s time. The truth of high infant mortality rates is illuminated in the fact that Roman mourning trends prescribed no formal process for observing the death of children under one year old. A study of Palestinian burials reveals much higher death rates for both infants and females of childbearing age.
What do you think went through Mary’s mind while she was giving birth to Jesus? What might she have thought, and screamed, and wondered and worried about?
Also, while we focus on sweet baby Jesus being laid in a manger (theoretically in the spot in Bethlehem pictured above), where did Mary lie after her labor was over? Who helped her clean herself, and recover, and stay warm and get rehydrated—and was any of that important in that day and time? We make assumptions of what we would do to stave off infection after giving birth in a filthy stable, but such concepts would have been unknown to Mary.
In fact, I would venture to say that part of the miracle of Jesus’ birth is that both he and Mary survived it. As you continue to celebrate Christmastide (I hope!) in the days ahead, I invite you to pray for women today who give birth in less-than-perfect conditions (in fact, US maternal mortality statistics are horrible) and learn what can be done to improve childbirth here and now.
Hi Shirin-
It’s so interesting that you mentioned this because this is all I’ve been thinking about throughout Advent. Mary giving birth. Having had two completely different birthing experiences, I know how complicated it is. And dangerous. How did she do it alone? Where there angels there ministering to her but we don’t know that? I can’t imagine giving birth alone. And at her young age. I too believe that the miracle is that they survived because either could have died which makes Jesus God that much more humble than I think we realize. Our churches gloss over a lot of the ‘dirtier details’ and in the process have forgotten the absolute utter humility of The Christ becoming human Jesus. For us!
Hopefully you had a wonderful Christmas time. We are frozen in snow and ice here and it was interesting just going 2 miles to church on Christmas Eve and yesterday. All the major interstates are closed because of snow and ice so my family each stayed home.
Have a wonderful Christmastide and May God bless you abundantly.
Nila
Thank you, Nila, for your thoughtful response. It is interesting that we have been on a similar wavelength. Yes, childbirth is complex and so much could have “gone wrong.” Every life is a miracle!
I’m glad you made it safely to church and home. We have had a blessed Christmas and I look forward to what the rest of Christmastide will bring….
Peace,
Shirin