Wednesday, October 8 \u00a0\u201cabout being pregnant”<\/b><\/p>\n
The guiding assertion of these work day posts is that words matter. \u00a0Our fatigues, when they get hard enough, suggest gloomy word choices; \u00a0the beauty we encounter, if we pay attention, opens the fatigue to resilience and reminds us that beauty runs deeper. \u00a0Does any beauty run deeper, and surprise us more, than giving birth? \u00a0 That\u2019s not all there is to living for sure, but birth might prove the best of all metaphors. \u00a0 \u00a0In The Letter to the Romans, Paul of Tarsus chose a specific Greek verb for groaning, the word that means a woman\u2019s labor pains. \u00a0 \u00a0 It\u2019s one of my favorite scriptures. \u00a0What if all our fatigue and groaning \u00a0were labor pains? \u00a0 All were absolutely worth it? \u00a0Now that\u2019s a daring idea, no?<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us \u00a0. . . .<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth;<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 as we wait for our bodies to be set free. . . . \u00a0\u00a0\u201c\u00a0(Romans 8)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Chemistry professor\u00a0Dawn Archey witnesses birth pangs in students like all of us do, \u00a0groaning all around the place some times. \u00a0 In late September she sent me a poem she wrote c. 5 years ago during pregnancy. \u00a0 \u00a0Reading it ove these last couple days is what brought Paul\u2019s Letter and the university to mind. I am in her debt. \u00a0Bet you will be too.<\/p>\n
Best to read the poem several times with time for breathing in \u00a0between.<\/p>\n
Have a good day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
john st sj<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s Post<\/b><\/p>\n
Making Humans<\/b><\/p>\n
Kudos to you, Lord God,
\nfor making humans in only
\nsix days.<\/p>\n
I’ve been working on one for eight weeks now
\nand all I have is a proto-human
\nthe size of a raspberry.<\/p>\n
In six days you made
\ntwo full-sized humans.<\/p>\n
Its hard work, God.
\nEven you had to rest on the 7th day.
\nMakes me feel a little better
\nabout being tired all the time.<\/p>\n
Dawn Archey<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Wednesday, October 8 \u00a0\u201cabout being pregnant” The guiding assertion of these work day posts is that words matter. \u00a0Our fatigues, when they get hard enough, suggest gloomy word choices; \u00a0the beauty we encounter, if we pay attention, opens the fatigue … Continue reading