Brought forth a holy lamb

The fourth Sunday in Advent celebrates the Annunciation story, when the archangel Gabriel appeared before Mary to tell her she had been chosen to give birth to the son of God.

You have to wonder what was running through her head—a teenager from Nazareth one would expect to be as unworldly as they come—absorbing, “You’re going to become pregnant (without sex) by the Holy Spirit, and your child will be God-made-man. You cool?”

(She was—her response was “Behold—I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.”)

What I’ve been thinking about this year—what with two kinetic wars wreaking unspeakable terror, devastation and death going on—is the complete crap shoot that is motherhood. When a person becomes pregnant, she thinks of all the wonderful possibilities for her child—health; happiness; a safe, productive and long life. She doesn’t think, “Maybe a drug addict? Or a debilitating chronic illness caused by industrial pollution in our drinking water? How about four years of siege with indiscriminate artillery shelling and sniper attacks?”

But all too often…

Also thinking about the war on women here in the US, where White “Christian” men are publicly declaring that women’s sole role in society is to be vessels for producing babies, to increase the labor population. (And, no, I am not making that up. They feel comfortable enough in their power position to say that.) They don’t give a rat’s ass about that baby after birth—it’s not the role of government (or their church) to implement things like public healthcare, public education or other support mechanisms, and their attitude to anyone seeking them is contempt and disdain. Because if you were favored by God, you’d have money and if you’re not favored by God, just get out of here.

I’m thinking of children who’ve been impregnated through rape being denied abortions because “God must have intended for this child to be created.” I’m thinking of women whose much-wanted pregnancies have gone tragically wrong, with non-viable fetus and real danger of fatal consequences to the mother also being denied abortions because God.

(Reminds me of the dunking test for witches: suspects were tied up and thrown in a pond. If they floated, they were clearly guilty of being witches and thus subject to hanging. If they drowned, they innocent, but of course, they were dead. These legislators and attorneys general are basically saying: you can’t terminate the fetus until we know for sure that it’s a fatal danger to the mother, so we’ll wait until you die.)

Did Gabriel mention that this son of God whom Mary would carry for nine months would live for 33 years and then die a ghastly death, which she would witness? Did she know what she was signing up for? Would she have agreed if she’d understood all the Ts & Cs? Did the patriarchal God and archangel even consider giving her this information? 

Well, we don’t know, because all the reports we have were written by men. But it’s worth considering.

Another thing to consider: Mary had a choice. She agreed to God's proposition. She had agency. Something the Baptist mullahs conveniently slide over.

Meanwhile, today’s Advent piece is “Mary Was the Queen of Galilee”, which is appropriately written in a minor key. Although I do not know who these performers are, it's a very good recording.