Birth Announcement

The Annunciation Henry Tanner

In these weeks leading up to Christmas preachers are once again mulling over the experience of a young woman, perhaps a teen, who finds herself in the bewildering and frightening situation of being unmarried and pregnant. Miriam, or Mary as she is called in our Christian New Testament, struggles to find meaning in the news from a heavenly messenger that she will be the "God-bearer," chosen for the birth of the Promised One, the Messiah.

At the risk of seeming flippant about such a world-changing pregnancy, I imagine Mary saying "no, but really..." as she is told that nothing will be the same for her from that day on. That's what happens in pregnancies, in everything from physical changes, to the perceptions of others during those nine months, to the uncertainty of birth itself.

I thought about all this the other morning as I listened to interviews with experts and a cabinet minister offering thoughts and opinions on new guidelines for IVF "in vitro fertilization" for Quebec women. In some respects Quebec has been a leader in funding IVF but the province has now decided the cut-off age will be forty-two. As arbitrary as that age may sound, it has to do with the diminishing possibility for successful pregnancies as women age, as well as the risks to health for both mother and child. There were strong differences of opinion about this amongst those interviewed, but I was struck by the fact that it seemed that a lot of men were doing the talking.

In the end, who will be telling these women "no" to the possibility of nurturing a life within them?

Over the years a number of women in congregations have attempted to become pregnant and had a powerful mixture of emotions when they were unsuccessful. I have talked with women who were pondering an abortion or dealing with the choice after the fact. There have been a few teen pregnancies which have led to all manner of intense family dynamics, and there have been joyful adoptions.

Yes, men have been affected as well, particularly when there are infertility issues, or they have kept vigil beside a hospital incubator following a premature or medically challenging birth.

It does seem though that the majority of heart-to-heart conversations naming fears and hopes have been with women.

What is my point here? I have no idea! I suppose it is the reminder that Jesus' birth is not some fairy story we trot out every year to warm the cockles of our hearts. Pregnancy and birth have always been risky, and demanding, and uncertain, but what a wondrous reality.

Thank you God for such originality. Thank you for Mary. Thank you for coming to us in the infant Jesus.