A Pause for a Birth

Linking up with Angela at Tracing Rainbows in the last Sunday of Advent, here. 

I would like to pause to reflect on the birth of a child and to reflect on the woman who was chosen to be the mother of the child.  Actually, I would like to reflect on two women who were chosen to become mothers.  For it is my opinion that, every woman who is chosen to become a mother, no matter how different their lives might be, are also very similar for they share much in common, no matter what the differences might be.

So, I choose to reflect on two women, born centuries apart, in two different countries; yet, they shared the common title of Mother.

It is said that one of them dreamt that heavenly beings took her to bathe in a lake and a white elephant entered her from her right side as she slept and her dream was interpreted to mean that she was pregnant with a son who would become a great person.  It is said that one of them saw the Angel of God who informed her that she would become the mother of the Son of God.

And when the time of birth was near, they both went on a journey: one to the country of her birth and her parents' home as was the custom; one to the ancestral home of her husband in order to comply with a census requirement.    One of them stopped at a park, en route, and her son was born while she stood under a tree.  It is said that heavenly beings appeared to receive the newborn baby son and the earth trembled.  One of them stopped to spend the night at an inn, but there was no room at the inn and so, she stayed the night in a stable where her son was born.  It is said that the heavenly angels sang and a star appeared in the night sky above the stable. 

One mother died seven days after the birth of her son and her son was brought up by her younger sister who became the child's foster mother or step mother.  One mother lived to see her son die upon a cross. 

One mother was named Maya and her name means "illusion" (although it has other meanings, as well).  One mother was named Mary, and her name seems to have various meanings, too, including "beloved" and "bitter".

Two different women who share the common bond of motherhood. 

As someone who follows the teachings of the son of one of these mothers, I wish all those who follow the teachings of the son of the other mother, a joyous Christmas as you celebrate His birth.