Holy Midwifery

Our souls must give birth,
not outside themselves
but inside themselves,
to the sweetest, gentlest
and most beautiful male child imaginable.
It is Jesus whom we must bring to birth
 and produce in ourselves.
You are pregnant with him,
my dear sister,
and blessed by God who is his Father. 
~St. Francis de Sales


"Holy Midwife"

Every day a little birthing awaits us,
An opportunity pregnant with possibility.
Some of these spiritual birthings go easy.
Others are long, difficult, and agonizing.
You, Holy Midwife, attend each delivery
And urge us toward expectant growth.
Remind us that we must do our part.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Let go. Let go.
Trust the painful contractions of labor
Preceding the precious life that follows.

Today: I listen to Holy Midwife urging my growth.

by Sr. Joyce Rupp, S.S.M.

O Jesus living in Mary, thank You for giving me Your mother to be my holy midwife.  When I listen to her, I hear her say, "Do whatever He tells you" Jn 2:5).  With her wise and loving help, may I gladly give birth to You today, wherever You want and however You want.  Amen. 

Prayer for Peace

God of Love and Peace,
Mender of Hearts,
you are friend of all and foe of none.
Your goodness is seeded in everyone,
including those with whom I struggle.
Enter into my heart and soften its hardness.
Erase any ill will and anger abiding there.
Help me to reach out with openness,
to speak when I prefer hiding in silence.
Teach me how to listen with loving ears
and not to cling tenaciously to my opinions.
Instill hope of reconciliation in our hearts
and help us to not give up on one another.
Be the Patience within us that resolves issues.
Be the Love among us that seeks forgiveness.
Be the Faith amid us that strengthens our bonds.
Be the Truce between us that brings us peace.

Amen.

Prayer for Peace by Joyce Rupp

Sr. Joyce Rupp is a well-known and much-loved writer, poet and speaker and, by her own definition, "a spiritual mid-wife." She has helped birth life and love within me many times since I began reading her books in 1988. The first book of hers that I read was Praying Our Goodbyes, which is about the spirituality of change. I was going through a very difficult time accepting the chronic pain and fatigue in my life, and her chapter on living with chronic pain helped transform my heart and mind. This book has helped me to embrace change, a constant in our lives, with enthusiasm, gratitude, and serenity. In the late 90's, my dear friend Carol Rewers gave me Sr. Joyce's book Your Sorrow is My Sorrow, a series of reflections on the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Sr. Joyce is a member of the Servite Sisters, or the Servants of Mary, a religious community which has a special devotion to our Mother of Sorrows. This book has kindled in my soul a deep love for and devotion to Mary under this title. Shortly after I read this book, my sister Ann, the Queen of Thrift Stores, came upon a very old chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary in a thrift store and gave it to me, which I pray often. Thank you, Sister Joyce, for being such a loving and beautiful spiritual midwife for me and for so many others!