Friday, 09 December 2011
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I Wonder if Mary Had Morning Sickness
By Sharon at SheWorships
This question occurred to me today as I listened to a Christmas song about Mary. I don’t know why I’d never thought about Mary having morning sickness, but then again, I’d never given much thought to her pregnancy at all.
Artists rarely depict Mary in her pregnancy, a reality which may explain my lack of thought on the matter. When I visualize Mary she looks a lot like the marble statues and oil paintings that populate so many cathedrals and museums. She is a neat and tidy young woman with porcelain skin, dainty features, and an angelic face. I can see her now, sitting at home with her pregnant belly, perfectly poised while she waits for her baby to arrive. Her hands are folded in her lap as she sits by the fire and gazes up into the night sky, pondering things in her heart.
It is strange that Mary is rarely remembered in her pregnancy, and NEVER in a realistic way. Artists never portray Mary with stretch marks and a vaguely nauseous expression. But why not? It it too human? Is it too real? Is her actual experience not worthy of contemplation?
If Mary was only 14 years old, pregnancy must have been frightening. I can’t help but wonder what she was thinking as her body changed and she felt tired and sick. God had told her the “good news” of Immanuel, yet her physical circumstances were anything but good. Her out-of-wedlock belly was a scarlet letter of shame, and her body was out of control. As she dealt with morning sickness, heartburn, and fatigue, as she lost control of her body, was she confused? Was she angry? Did she feel as though her body and her health had been hijacked? Did she ever question God’s goodness? Did she ever wonder if He was really in control?
Pregnancy is a deeply intimate experience. Those nine months constitute an incredibly personal journey for a woman, so it is remarkable to think about them through Mary’s eyes. I can’t help but wonder if she felt less like a married woman anxiously awaiting the birth of her child, and more like a teenager who, today, might wander into a crisis pregnancy center for help.
The story of Mary’s pregnancy is a compelling one. It epitomizes the spirit of Advent, the waiting in darkness with the light of hope ahead. But Mary’s story is also a powerful reminder about the nature of calling. God called Mary to something good, but she did not experience that goodness for quite some time. In fact, she bore the negative consequences on her body in the most personal way. She lost her reputation and sacrificed her body. Throughout her pregnancy, there must have been days when the call seemed anything but good.
Calling is a lot like that. Sometimes God calls us to things that are immediately difficult or even counter-intuitive. Sometimes God calls us to sacrifice our reputations for His glory. And sometimes we might experience obstacles, such as illness or financial hardship, that lead us to wonder if God really called us at all.
Pregnancy is such a powerful analogy for the hardship of calling. A mother sacrifices and labors and gives the most personal parts of herself to bring forth new life. That is what Mary did, and that is, essentially, what many of us do every day. If you find yourself in the morning sickness part of your call, or if those labor pains are becoming unbearable, remember Mary. Her sickness and her fatigue, though difficult, were also symptoms of the growing life inside of her.
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About the Author
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- From: sheworships
- Name: Sharon
- About Me: Sharon Hodde Miller is a North Carolina girl, born and raised! She is originally from Charlotte, NC, and she received her undergraduate degree and Masters of Divinity from Duke University. Sharon has worked for Proverbs 31 Ministries where she was a contributing writer to the ministry’s daily devotions and radio broadcasts. She has written for Relevant Magazine’s online articles, Lifeway’s Collegiate Magazine, Ungrind Webzine, and she continues to write and minister to women all over the world about being a Christian woman in an ever-changing culture. Sharon currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband, who is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School. If you would like to contact her regarding a speaking or writing opportunity, if you have any questions, or would like to submit a blog topic, please e-mail her at sharon(at)sheworships(dot)com.
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Comments (6)
I had my first son at 15 and there was not morning sikness but I was scared to death, that's for sure.
Catholics have been saying the Rosary for centuries. One of the Joyful Mysteries is the Birth of Jesus. During my contemplations of that part of Scripture, Mary's fears, anxieties, humility and joy are all brought to mind. Also, the manly protection and care provided by Joseph. Devotional prayers like the Rosary have been the target of Christian hating tyrants because they build such a strong, loving faith in the disciple.
The Church recognizes that devotion and prayer are vehicles for the Holy Spirit who awakens divine knowledge in the disciple.
Wow. This was a truly wonderful piece. Thank you!
I remember the 1st time the reality of Mary's humanity in pregnancy came to my mind. I was in a Sunday school class with a friend of mine. He has a wit like no one else. We were talking about Christmas songs. I was the youngest in my family and had no experience with babies entering a family yet.
He on the other hand had a brother a few years younger. In our conversation about Christmas songs, the one called: "Silent Night" came up. "Silent night, huh? No way! Silent, I don't think so! Mary was more like this..." at that point his acting skills took over. He depicted Mary in serious labor pains about to give birth, complete with yelling for help from Joseph. I never laughed so hard in my life. He was ten, I was about nine.
I've never looked at scripture the same since!
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Mary, the Immaculate Conception, with morning sickness? I've never really thought about it. But if she did have some, I bet she didn't mind at all, knowing that it was all linked to Emmanuel.
I wanted to let you know however, that there is an extremely well-known picture of Mary while pregnant. Our Lady of Guadeloupe is the only form of Mary where she appears pregnant, which is why people are encouraged to pray to protect unborn babies. Juan Diego is the Mexican whom Mary revealed herself to, and in the middle of December, She gave him roses to give to his bishop as proof of her presence. He carried the roses in an tilma (apron), and when he poured the roses from his tilma, the image of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, pregnant Mother Mary was there. This image converted many people, as well as put an end to human sacrificing among certain Aztec religions.