“… AND IN LABOUR YOU SHALL BEAR CHILDREN.”  Gen. 2:16

Every woman who gives birth has to suffer a certain amount of pain and discomfort. I am conscious of this; I was present during the birth of our four children. Mentally I might have been suffering more than my wife did, who was ‘in labour’.

This experience always triggered a question in my mind.  Whilst giving birth to Jesus, has Mary undergone such pain and discomfort? Before attempting to answer it, I must say that for sure, Mary was in great pain when she was giving birth to humanity. I mean when the agonizing Christ told the beloved John: “Behold your mother.” Yes, Mary was in great pain, and how she suffered.

But the question remains unanswered.

First of all Mary was exempt from the Original Sin, and its effect. Another important point is this; Mary was, as we pray in the Rosary, ‘Virgin most pure before the Birth of Jesus, Virgin most pure during His birth, and Virgin most pure after His birth’. So if she was at every given moment Virgin most chaste and pure, as a virgin she should not have had any pain and discomfort whilst giving birth.

The other question props up: “But how is this possible?” Was not this the same question asked by Mary to Gabriel during the Annunciation? And we know the answer he gave her: “For God nothing is impossible.” Yes, Mary knew ‘no man’; she never had any sexual relations with her promised and legitimate husband, Joseph. But, how do we expect a young maiden of fourteen or fifteen to react. Mary’s reaction was so natural. Besides she had the vow of virginity.

Let’s not try to find any logical or natural solution or answer to these questions. How many times during our lifetime, when we thought that we were struggling in the dark, in utter desperation and then out of nowhere (?) we found ourselves basking in the sun. It was not from nowhere, God is always there to solve our problems.

Think about Mary this Christmas, she has a very important role in our Salvation. Her beloved ‘babe’, the fairest of all human sons, took upon Himself my sins and yours to free me and you, to redeem us all.  I suggest more questions to meditate upon during these blessed days: Did Mary know what her Son had to undergo, when, as a child He pricked His finger with a rose thorn, and blood came out, what passed through Mary’s head. When the shadow of the cross bars from the window in a moonlit night fell on the baby lying asleep in ibed, what did Mary think?

When her toddler fell down whilst playing and cried with pain seeing blood on His knees, what did Mary think … and feel. What a dear price Mary paid when she declared: “Be it done with me according to your will.” Have I the guts, the courage to make that declaration ???