This year I gave birth to my first Lenten baby. That is to say, I gave birth to a baby in the season of Lent. My others were born in Ordinary Time and Advent.
Reflecting one night, during my hospital stay, on the beauty of bringing new life into the world, in spite of the actual pain of childbirth, I was struck profoundly by the statement: ‘It was all worth it.’ And certainly, as mothers, how often have we said this with regards to our children? Perhaps our labour was long and drawn out, complicated, or downright traumatic, but none of us would trade the baby our suffering brought into the world, to avoid experiencing labour at all.
Yes, we would endure it all again.
And yet, whilst this was part of my meditation, I soon found myself hearing those words said by someone altogether different. I heard them come from Jesus, and my mind was full of Calvary. (As a little aside, the hospital in which I have birthed my children is called Calvary and was founded by the Little Company of Mary).
It was all worth it.
I remember feeling complete inadequacy at the time, as I compared my sufferings to His. My latest labour, a mere four hours of suffering with no complications, hardly compares to the Passion of Our Lord. My mental anguish was nothing in comparison to His agony in the garden of Gethsemane and my physical pain seems like nothing more than a skinned knee when compared with His scourging, crowning with thorns, carrying the cross and crucifixion.
Yet, He would do it all again.
Despite our lukewarmness, our susceptibility to sin, and our downright ungratefulness, He would do it all again. His love surpasses everything else. Despite the fact that we are sinners and take Him for granted, for Him, it was all worth it. Now as we celebrate Eastertide, let us not forget the sacrifice of our Saviour. May it spur us on to greater faith and fidelity.
May we love Him more and not take His love for granted.
Originally posted 2016-05-31 12:08:26.