In lieu of another survey this week (21 weeks, length of a banana!), I thought I'd link to this great post over at Mamas and Babies about a study done on birth and spirituality.Sure, I heard a lot about inner blah and empowerment this, reach inside you that, happy place on a beach etc during childbirth class (ps. I loved our natural CB class, its just that sort of thing makes me get all eye-rolly). But I think that the spirituality of childbirth is much more earthy.
It is the messy, nitty-gritty, bloody, long, often seeming to never end walk to Calvary that a woman makes to become Christ for her child.
I thought a lot about that before I had Boyo; I tried to think about it during labor (not so much of the thinking, more of the "oh Jesus" that counts as a prayer when its literally the only words you can say. Oh, Transition. I did not miss you.); and then afterward, I reflected a lot on it again.
It is a truly beautiful and grace-filled gift from God to women, this miracle of labor and delivery. Like Christ on the cross, we pour out ourselves, physically, mentally and spiritually, in order to give life to another. How blessed we are to be able to participate in the Paschal Mystery in such a profound way!
Thus, such a study did not surprise me in the least. The redemptive suffering of childbirth has such value, not only for the mother and the child for whom she suffers, but for all those souls in Purgatory that she can offer those sufferings.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with praying for an easy labor. :)
Beautiful! :)
ReplyDelete