Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Homily by Kathy Reddig on Corpus Christi

Kathy Reddig is a Roman Catholic Womanpriest
who serves a Catholic Community in Minnesota. She gave permission to share the homily she preached on Corpus Christi Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Homily—Corpus Christi

June 14, 2009

Over the years, since the time of Jesus, when he first made the Passover Meal something new by proclaiming the profound words, “This is my body, this is my blood, the whole notion of the Body and Blood of Jesus—or Corpus Christi—which actually means, “the Body of Christ, has made quite an evolution. Even from the time when I was a child learning about these mysteries—a span of 50 years, I have seen the changes. When I was preparing to make my first, (and we always added then) “holy” communion—it was all about reverence, worship and awe. There were special protocols if ever a host was dropped—everything stopped and it was as if everyone was holding their collective breath until Father retrieved a white cloth and picked Jesus up so that no one would step on him—something we would never have wanted to do!

Jesus, in the form of bread and wine was so sacred then that there were special things everyone had to remember about even how to receive this gift that was originally intended as a way for our God in Jesus to be closer to us. In those days, as many of you recall, we didn’t even receive the wine—the most precious blood was simply too precious for us to receive. And we received the host, the most precious body on our tongues as we weren’t worthy to touch it and we were never to chew it. This puts a great deal of stress on a young child like myself who was also very reverent and would never think of desecrating the host in any way.

Today things have changed. With Vatican II, we were encouraged by John XXIII to open some windows, let some fresh air in—think again about the original intention of this special gift. Jesus took common elements—the stuff of the Passover Meal—

flat bread—matzos—remembering the time of their forebears’ fleeing captivity in Egypt—no time to put leaven in the flour—wine, the common drink. Within the course of this religious ritual, Jesus did something new. He said, never again will you need to offer atonement/blood offerings to our God. I will become the sacrificial lamb who takes upon himself all the sufferings—all the evil that humans are capable of—I will become at last the offering that “cleanses your consciences”—makes you a whole and worthy gift to our loving God. My whole life has been to show you the way—this is my body—you are my body for the world. This is my blood—you are now that blood—that life-force, and without you, I have no heart, no voice, no eyes, no ears to engage the world. I came that you might know how much our loving God holds each one of you close—in the palm of God’s hand—carries you close under her heart as a mother soon-to-be carries her precious young.

Today, as a result of Vatican II, I see there being much more emphasis on the body of Christ, which is all of us, than on the body of Christ which is represented by the bread and wine on the table that we will soon together make sign and symbol of Jesus present among us.

Another aspect of those pre-Vatican II times, as I described earlier was the over-emphasis on worshipping the body and blood of Jesus in the form of bread and wine. It spawned practices of Eucharistic devotion and perpetual adoration—practices the Church is trying desperately today to reinstate, which will further keep Jesus away—untouchable as in earlier times.

The word “transubstantiation” –a word we second graders in the 50’s could barely pronounce and even less understood, was the talk of the day whenever the Eucharist was mentioned. The doctrine, as most of you know, states that one must believe that the bread and wine, with the words of consecration, have become “flesh” and “blood” even though they still appear to be bread and wine—taste like bread and wine.

The question perhaps to ask is—can the bread and wine—looking like bread and wine, tasting like bread and wine, still be Jesus-with-us? How about this? When we eat the bread and drink the wine, sign and symbol of Jesus-with-us, it becomes, actually, flesh and blood in our bodies. Again, I believe this is an instance of us taking Jesus’ words too literally and spending undo time and energy trying to get our heads around something that is not intelligible. I believe what Jesus intended is that he would remain with us, a part of us, body and blood, by incorporating all that he taught us and making it literally, a part of us. That’s what we mean when we say we are now Jesus’ body for our world. Hopefully, we become a bit more transformed into the body and blood of Jesus each day. People should be able to see Jesus in our actions.

Jesus’ task on this earth was to show us the way—he said, you will do greater things than I. He wasn’t going to be the one staying around—that would be our task. He knew we would need to feel his presence and thus he gave us the Eucharist—as a way to remember him, as a way to receive the strength needed to be his body in our world.

You might have wondered why we all say the words of institution unlike in the traditional Church. Many inclusive communities have been doing this for several years now and it is reflective of taking ownership for Jesus present-among-us.

We all together say the words that in effect make it so and it is again a mystery we can only see around the edges—dimly, as through a glass, to use Paul’s words. If we can grasp the fact that our God has loved us from all time, and that is proven by the sending of Jesus to be one with us, we have gotten the core message. Then, because Jesus couldn’t remain with us in physical form, he left us a way—a sacrament that when we share it, we become cognizant of his presence with us in a special way. We live in our respective worlds—in our own life situations and we are Jesus’ body and blood for the world, if we so choose.

For me, if it is a choice between reverencing Jesus’ body in the host and in the cup or reverencing Jesus’ body in our world and its people, my choice is clear—the world and its people.

So, am I saying that the sacrament of the altar is not important to me? No, on the contrary—it continues to be a very important ritual and a starting place for me. Jesus’ gift to each of us—his body, his blood, his loving, his dying, his rising—all instill within me a great sense of responsibility because if I believe he is here present, then I am called to make his gift my own—and not only my own, but a gift I am obligated to share with my world.

Earlier, I spoke about Vatican II bringing fresh air into the Church. In this homily, I have spent the most of my time trying to help us see the importance of putting the stress in the right place. As a child, I had a great reverence for the Eucharist—I went to Catholic schools and on special days when there was 40 hours devotion—the Eucharist was displayed outside the tabernacle.

I thought it so wonderful to go into the Cathedral on my lunch break and worship Jesus there. Those were the thoughts of a child. As an adult, I believe Jesus meant so much more than that.

I remember God’s words to the 1^st Testament people—I don’t want your offerings of bullocks and lambs—we might add—I don’t need you to worship me in the bread and the wine, but in the flesh and blood of my people. There was a time when we worried about dropping the host and desecrating it on the floor—I believe Jesus is more concerned about the desecration that happens when we fail to recognize him in the sufferings and needs of others. Our God simply wants us to have clean hearts that show our love by the way we live our lives.

So my friends, I invite us to have great reverence for the Eucharistic

meal—something we make our own each time we celebrate together, each time we say the words that make Jesus present here in our lives in a special way. We remember Jesus’ words to us—where two or three are gathered in my name—I am there. We become a family when we share this meal—we become vulnerable to each other as we eat together and we promise as a community, with Jesus’ help to continue to share his life among us. That is why anyone who wants to be part of our celebration and partake of the meal is welcome here, because Jesus has 1^st welcomed us. Partaking of the bread and wine as sign and symbol of Jesus with us only makes sense if we then go out and share the gift of Jesus’ love with all we meet. Worshipping or reverencing Jesus in the bread and wine only makes sense if we likewise reverence him in each person who comes into our lives.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests live renewed priestly ministry :Women's Ordination Conference Statement on Vatican's Year of the Priest

Mary, Mother of Jesus Catholic Community
Celebrates Eucharist in Sarasota, Fl.
Sheila Carey performs a liturgical dance during Lenten season.

Pope Benedict declared a Jubilee Year of the priest from June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010. During this year of the priest, Roman Catholic Womenpriests are offering the church the gift of a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals in grassroots communities where we serve God's people NOW. We are birthing the renewal of the Roman Catholic priesthood in our time as an inclusive partnerhsip within the community of faith.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests are working for justice for women in the church and for a total transformation of patriarchal structures to reflect the Spirit's presence in all the baptized as disciples and equals. As the Women's Ordination Statement below states:

"When women are full and equal partners in every aspect of the Catholic Church, only then, will the Roman Catholic Church be associated with accountability, transparency and justice rather than hierarchy, exclusion, and scandal."

Now is the time for Catholics who love our ancient tradition-- which includes a twelve hundred year history of women serving as deacons, priests and bishops-- to live Jesus' vision of Gospel equality.
Let us promote an inclusive, renewed priestly ministry in a renewed Catholic Church where justice is a reality and all are welcome at the table.
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
June 19, 2009


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT: Clarissa Mendez, office: +1 (202) 675-1006

woc@womensordination.org

Women's Ordination Conference Statement On
Vatican's Year of the Priest

On March 16, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI announced a Jubilee Year of the Priest beginning tomorrow, June 19, 2009, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the death of the Cure d'Ars, St. Jean Vianney. The year-long commemoration is intended to strengthen and reinvigorate the male, clerical priesthood. The year is expected to close on June 19, 2010, with a "World Meeting of Priests" in St. Peter's Square. The following is a statement from Erin Saiz Hanna, incoming Executive Director of the Women's Ordination Conference (WOC), effective July 1, 2009. Erin Saiz Hanna currently serves as Assistant Director.

WASHINGTON, DC- "While the Holy See prepares for a year-long focus on the priesthood and struggles to reinvigorate a damaged institution, Women's Ordination Conference calls for a celebration of the priesthood of the baptized. Second Vatican Council documents state that all the baptized share in the "priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ" (Lumen Gentium 31). All people receive gifts of the Holy Spirit and all are called to use these gifts in service to the needs of our world. Instead of emphasizing the separation between the hierarchy and the people of God, WOC calls on the Vatican to return the church we love back to the example of Jesus, where all are invited and included.

In Pope Benedict's letter to clergy, he states that the example and teachings of St. Jean Vianney should serve as a 'significant point of reference' for today's clergy and quotes the saint's teaching, 'Without the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we would not have the Lord. Who put Him there in that tabernacle? The priest.... After God, the priest is everything!' In fear of their escalating loss of credibility and influence, this dangerous mentality can only be described as the hierarchy's desperate attempt to latch onto outdated doctrine used to oppress the people of whom they should be focused on serving.

Simply declaring this 'the year of the priest' cannot and will not rebuild credibility. From sex abuse scandals, to threats of excommunication, to denying that condoms are effective in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, ordained men have obliterated their moral credibility with the people of God.

Since 1975, the Women's Ordination Conference has worked for women's full inclusion in the church, especially as priests, deacons and bishops, and for inclusive, participatory church structures where all Catholics take part in decision-making within the Church. We celebrate the countless women and men who make a positive difference in our churches and communities every day. Right now in every diocese, lay ecclesial ministers are working for justice and responding to the spiritual needs in our communities. There are over 31,000 lay ministers in the U.S.A., surpassing the 29,000 diocesan priests in the country. It is important to note that 80 percent of these ministers are women.

Though the Vatican may call on us to praise our priests this year, we will not turn back the clock on our vision for a discipleship of equals. When women are full and equal partners in every aspect of the Catholic Church, only then, will the Roman Catholic Church be associated with accountability, transparency and justice rather than hierarchy, exclusion, and scandal. Until then, we will continue to raise our collective voices and organize actions that will bring our church closer to the gospel values of Jesus."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Judy Lee Presides at Celebration of Baptisms and First Communion in Ft. Myers Community, Florida

This was a joyful day of new beginnings in our Church of the Good Shepherd: An Inclusive Catholic Community. During our regular Mass in the late afternoon of June 13th, 2009 two young people were Baptized and four ,including the two newly baptized, received their first Holy Communion. They were welcomed warmly to new life in Christ and to our Community with a rousing A-men ! ( Hear this as sung by Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field-but with even greater gusto and warmth).
The girls Maria, 15, Marcella ,7, Marina,13 and Josefina, 11 completed a preparation process of several months and deeply understood the steps they were taking in following Jesus. Lucy Conley, our Master's student from Adelaide, Australia and Lauretta Rasmussen, a resident of our Joshua House, and Kathy McGhan, a volunteer, assisted me in preparing the group. The parents who initially asked for the Sacraments for their children also participated in some parts of the preparation process and the whole community was supportive and involved. The families, traditionally Roman Catholic, one Hispanic and one Italian, had been denied Sacraments in the institutional Church due to marriage situations and had responded by delaying the Sacraments for their children, and one by non-participation in the Church since before her children were born. You can understand the joy of these parents at finding a church home to include them within the renewed Church.
The picture of the larger group standing outside of the Church are some of the community members and God-parents who stayed to celebrate with the families. After the Celebration we had a festive community meal, and in the last picture we see Carl, Jasper and Nate having seconds at the food table. Carl and Nate also live at our Joshua House, a Guest Residence for formerly homeless men and women making the transition to permanent housing. Carl is our head Usher and Nate is our Lector. Mr. Harry Gary ,standing next to me in the large picture is our Church Elder.
Our gathering hymn ,led by Hank who also is our Community Music leader and Artist, was "Let The River Flow" and its words were so true today. "Let the poor man say I am rich again..let the blind man say "I can see again-Oh,oh, let the river flow". The families and the
whole church of the poor and non-poor together was blessed by the waters of Baptism and the faith of the children on this beautiful day.
Judy Lee+, Priest of the Poor in Fort Myers, Florida

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Bridget Mary celebrates liturgy with Brothers and Sisters in Christ (BASIC) and Leaven Communities in Dublin, Ireland

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Bridget Mary celebrates liturgy with members of Brothers and Sisters in Christ (BASIC/Women's Ordination) and LEAVEN(Married Priests) Communities in Dublin, Ireland on June 6, 2009

On my trip to Ireland, I met with some of the members of the women's ordination and married priests communities in Ireland. We shared a liturgy and on three occasions had an opportunity to dialogue on issues of women's ordination and the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement.

These communities warmly welcomed me and shared their efforts at renewing the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. It is my hope that courageous women will step forth and join our movement to gift the church with a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals.

Bridget Mary Meehan

sofiabmm@aol.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuC0u3IyMeo

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article on Irish Indepedent by John Cooney on June 8, 2009/"The first Irish born woman bishop since the fifth century..."

Time for Catholics to build a new Church
By John Cooney
Monday June 08 2009
"THE first Irish-born woman bishop since the fifth century has called on ordinary Catholics to work to transform the power structures of Church and State.
Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan said that old hierarchical structures needed to be broken down to prevent scandals, such as those revealed in the Ryan report, from ever happening again.
The female bishop was born in Rathdowney, Co Laois, but later emigrated to the United States with her parents..."
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/time-for-catholics-to-build-a-new-church-1765359.html

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Ireland devastated by Government Report on sex abuse of children by priests and nuns from 1934-1990

According to an Irish Government panel, thousands of children were sexually and physically abused by priests and nuns in Ireland from 1934-1990. According to the report rape and sexual assault were prevalent in boys institutions... "A climate of fear; created by pervasive, excessive and arbitrary punishment, permeated most of the institutions and all those run for boys." The commission found that girls also were subject to horrific physical abuse as well as emotional abuse. In some schools "a high level of ritualized beating was routine." One of my Irish cousins received harsh treatment at an institution for girls, and has left the Catholic church as a result of its cruelty. Another relative left Ireland years ago and never returned. I was stunned at the cruel treatment of young pregnant women portrayed in the movie, "Magdalene Laundries". But apparently, it was just the tip of the iceberg. In the past families did not know where to go to find help to stop the violence. The church and state at that time in Ireland were in collusion. They controlled everything.
This report blamed the Vatican stating that the hierarchy failed to protect children out of fear of scandal.None of the abuser names was made public because of a prior arrangement. The Christian Brothers who ran the majority of residential homes for boys in Ireland, sued the commission in 2004 to keep the names from being publicized. The victims groups were outraged at this omission and called it a whitewash.
I was born in Ireland and attended St. John of God School in Rathdowney, County Laois. When I was in first class, Sister would raise the ruler and pow, right across the hand if I gave a wrong answer. No wonder I was a nervous wreck! My 84 year-old Dad, who grew up in the 30's, often told stories of brutal beatings of boys in his school in Ballyroan. Dad said "if you missed a catechism question, you got a box on the ears." I wonder how many Irish people have similar horrible memories. My guess is, sad to say, this was the standard operating procedure in all Irish schools during that time.
This panel's report is a indictment of the Roman Catholic Church and the Irish government. The institutional church put its reputation and fear of scandal ahead of pastoral care of children and truth-telling about its failures. Jesus, who gathered the children in his arms, would weep!
What can we do to correct this tragedy? Pray and unite in working for real change.
Pray for healing for all survivors of clerical abuse, especially the Irish people who have endured so much humiliation and degrading treatment at the hands of those who were called to serve them.
But what is needed now is people-power. We need to join hands and hearts to work together for a reformed, renewed church. In Ireland and elsewhere, law enforcement and elected officials must put their responsibility to the people first, not their deference to any religious institution including the Catholic church. We the people must make it happen.
In my view, Catholics in Ireland and around the world need to work together to transform the power structure and mindset that puts the church's reputation and fear of scandal over its responsibility to God's children. We need to take steps to change the up-down, pyramid model to a more circular model -- a community of equals- each with different gifts, all working to build up the Body of Christ. We are companions on the journey, partners in ministry, and we need to build together a more accountable, caring, pastoral church. We can join with other reform-minded Catholics to support one another in this endeavor. One way is to form intentional Eucharistic communities, another suggestion is to support the Survivors Network(SNAP) for those abused by priests. http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/intentional-communities-find-way
In addtion, we need to reclaim the church's earlier tradition of married priests and women priests. For twelve hundred years, women were ordained in the Catholic church. The good news is that in grassroots communities Roman Catholic Womenpriests have already begun to work with others to shape these kinds of Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered communities. www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org
May St. Brigit of Kildare, St. Patrick and all the holy women and men of Ireland intercede for all victims of abuse especially the people of Ireland as they go forward into a new day of justice and healing.
Bridge Mary Meehan
The sexual abuse crisis is a worldwide one, and has devastated the Catholic church in the United States. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 5000 priest have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. 12, 000 Americans have reported sexual abuse by priests. The lawsuits have cost the church over 1 billion and several U.S. dioceses have filed for bankruptcy.
(Source: Washington Post, Mary Jordan, "Pupils Abused For Decades in Irish Schools", May 21, 2009.

Reactions to President Obama's speech at Notre Dame

On Sunday, May 17, 2009 President Obama received an honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and addressed the class of 2009. In his commencement speech Obama called for both sides of the abortion debate to stop demonizing each other. He implored the graduates against
"reducing those with differing views to caricature. Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words. It's a way of life that always has been the Notre Dame tradition."
He cited the civils rights legacy of Fr. Ted Hesberg, former president of Notre Dame and Cardinal Bernadine, now deceased, as examples of men who transformed the debates of our time by bringing people together to seek common ground.
See article:
http://ncronline.org/news/politics/right-wing-warriors-cause-damage-church

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Intentional Eucharistic Communities: Embracing and Shaping Our Future

The first national gathering of Intentional Eucharistic Communities (IECs), small faith communities rooted in the Catholic Tradition that gather to celebrate Eucharist on a regular basis took place in 1991 with 155 participatnes from 15 communities. The second national gathering was held in May 2001, in the Washington, DC area. Over 240 members, representing 41 communities came together to celebrate and share. A gathering of Intentional Eucharistic Communities was held on May 15-17, 2009 in Chevy Chase MD. The keynote speaker was Robert Mc Clory, who shared his research on the early church, his experience with Dutch Dominican theologians and the transforming presence of IECs. Topics for others sessions were women in ministry, religion and spirituality, social justice and IECs and Young Catholics and the Future of IECs. Valerie Dixon, an Episcopalian woman priest, and Eileen DiFranco and I ( both RCWP) shared our journeys to priesthood and engaged in an open-ended dialogue with participants in the conference. For more information, visit
www.intentionaleucharisticcommunities.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article in Sudbury Star-Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Abandoning the Catholic church Sudbury Star - Sudbury,Ontario,Canada Bouclin was ordained May 25, 2007, within the Roman Catholic Womenpriests, also known as the Danube Movement. Currently persons who disagree with the Vatican's position on the ordination of women and other teachings related to divorce, abortion or homosexuality, are increasingly put under penalty of interdict or excommunication," said Rev. Marie Bouclin. Bouclin was ordained May 25, 2007, within the Roman Catholic Womenpriests, also known as the Danube Movement.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1571784

Gary Macy's lecture: " A Higher Calling for Women" Historical Perspectives in the Catholic Church

California Catholic
May 14, 2009

http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=a466093f-b50f-4448-a09e-853a3f44f957

“Can you ordain a hermaphrodite?”
"Santa Clara University theology professor says Church had long history of ordaining women that ended because of 'virulent misogyny'
Gary Macy, a professor of theology at Jesuit-run Santa Clara University, told attendees at a Monday night lecture at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee, there is little room for historical doubt that women were ordained in the Catholic Church until about the end of the 12th century.. historical evidence is overwhelming that for much of the church’s history, the ordination of women was a fact.”

Article by John Dilulio in America, the Catholic magazine: Catholic Leaders face challenges their predecessors could not fathom

John, J. Dilulio, in the May 11, 2009 issue of America presents a wake-up call to leaders in the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Pew Forum survey in 2008, "a third of Americans who were raised Catholic had left the church. One in 10 Americans are ex-Catholic. Ex-Catholics outnumbered converts to Catholicism four to one."
The article goes on to report a significant decline in church attendance according to another survey that between 1990 and 2008 the church’s flock fell from 26.2 percent to 25.1 percent of the total U.S. population, even though roughly half of all immigrants to the United States were Catholic. (National American Religious Identification Survey)
Read article in America/May edition or visit www.corpus.org and click on e-corpus to read article online.
I believe that many Catholics are alienated from the institutional church for a variety of reasons, but close to the top is its discrimination towards women. The full equality of women in the church is the call of Christ in our time. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are practicing prophetic obedience to the Gospel by offering the church the gift of a renewed priestly ministry in a renewed community of equals.
In order to change an unjust law, we must break the law, and out of the ashes the new will rise, like the phoenix. It has happened before and it is happening now.
Alleluia!

Mother's Day Poem by John Chuchman

Mother's Day

Mother Earth

raped throughout history

Mother Church

dominated by males

Mother Priest

Why only Father titles?

Mother God

eliminated from word, prayer, thought

Mother, Mother . . .

by John Chuchman

(used with permission)

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Mother's Day Homily by Eileen DiFranco

Mother’s Day Homily, 2009

The words, “This is my body; this is my blood” are holy words. We need these words in order to become the Body of Christ. The People of God are made holy by these words. They are fed and strengthened in order to do the hard work of building up the Body in the world.

Several years ago, I read about these holy words in the Jesuit magazine, “America.” A young mother wrote of trying unsuccessfully to calm her crying infant during mass. While carrying the baby out of the church, she heard the priest20say the words, “This is my body, given up for you.” She looked down at her child and understood that she had given up her body for her baby.

Like the Eucharist, life and death are intermingled in birth. Many of us who were born prior to 1960 recall stories about relatives and neighbors who died while giving birth. With our current low rates of maternal mortality in the western world, it is almost unimaginable to think that in some places at some times, more mothers died than lived while giving birth.

Before the advent of asepsis, becoming pregnant in some parts of the world was a death sentence. Doctors would go from doing autopsies to attending women in childbirth without washing their hands. The women these doctors touched died within days of overwhelming infection. Mary Wollstonecraft, author of “A Vindication of the Rights of Women, died of this infection which was euphemist ically but appropriately called “Childbed Fever.” This was her body, given up for her child.

Only in recent history could childbirth practitioners manage anything beyond he most minor deviations in labor and delivery without harming mother or child or both. Many other women died in childbirth because they had too many children in too short a time and had to work too hard to keep them all alive.

I never did learn why my great Aunt Helen died in September of 1924 while delivering twin girls who also died. My grandmother, also pregnant at the time, told me of how Helen fearlessly approached childbirth while my grandmother feared for her life. My grandmother delivered my aunt, a ten pounder, a week after=2 0Aunt Helen’s funeral. Sixty-five years of living did not eras e the picture of seventeen –year- old Helen lying in a coffin, her dead infant girls cradled in each arm. This was her body, given up for her children.

When women volunteer to have their child’s birth televised on “Good Morning America” while wearing eye shadow and mascara, we tend to lose sight of the very serious business that is childbirth. We forget that every pregnant woman gives up her body for her child as the growing fetus harnesses every organ system of the mother’s body in order to sustain its growth. If any organ system is not up to the task, both mother and child can die.

Some women never recover completely from childbirth. They never lose the weight they gained during pregnancy. Others might develop varicose veins, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Some develop permanent uri nary tract or bowel problems from i njuries sustained during childbirth. These are our young bodies, which we have offered up for our children.

Each time a woman goes into labor, she travels into the valley of the shadow of death, a place one cannot imagine if one has not given birth. One of my neighbors who gave birth was appalled by the fact that I didn’t use anesthesia during the births of my children. I told her I was more stupid than brave and truly believed that I was giving my children the best possible start in life by not using drugs. This was comfort for my body, which I was willing to give up for them.

Childbirth is always accompanied by a certain amount of blood. The shedding of blood during childbirth used to render a woman, “unclean,” a verdict Christianity inherited from Judaism. Until Vatican II, a post partum woman was supposed to be “churched,” a ceremony which “purified” the mother of childbirth, so that she could return to communion. However, without the shedding of the mother’s blood, there can be no birth and no life. Even Jesus, born of Mary came into this world purple, wet, and slippery, covered with his mother’s blood. Mary gave her holy body and blood to Jesus. This was her body and blood, given up for him.

Two women I know almost hemorrhaged to death after giving birth. After birth, the uterus is supposed to contract and clamp off all of the blood vessels that supplied the placenta and nourished the baby during pregnancy. If the uterus fails to contract, the blood vessels remain wide open and blood gushes out of the woman with each beat of her heart. Both women described lying in a state of suspended animation as their blood poured onto the floor, knowing what was happening to them, but too weak to rouse themselves to call for help.

One looks at blood, at the bright red bewilderment of it, with awe, for it is life itself. How many of our foremothers saw this blood, felt it leave their bodies, and understood what it meant to shed every last drop of blood in order to give life to another human being!

On this Mother’s Day, I invite you to image God, who is truly beyond whatever paltry picture we might imagine, as Mother God. Imagine God our Creator as the Mother clothed in the sun, wearing star in Her hair, groaning in hard labor as She tries to give birth to a new heavens and a new earth where all mothers are forever freed of the sins of patriarchal misconceptions and misogyny.

Today on Mother’s Day, remember your mother. Honor all mothers in whom unborn babies once lived and moved and developed their very beings.

This is our body; this is our blood, given for the life of the world.

Happy Mother's Day!

Eileen DiFranco