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December Devotion: What will we birth in this season?

Rev. Susan J. Morrison

An Advent Reflection by Rev. Susan J. Morrison

Advent! The liturgical season inaugurates a new year on the liturgical calendar and the Advent scriptures call us to watch and wait, to clean and prepare, to be ready! Yet, all too often, these admonitions are lived "externally." We watch and wait for the Christmas parties and for Santa, the symbol of the giving and receiving of gifts. We clean and decorate our houses. We prepare our shopping lists and then shop 'til we drop. And all of this is in readiness for Christmas itself, when, exhausted, we give thanks that the watching and waiting, the cleaning and preparing, the readying of season is finally over.

Clearly, the "external" scurry and flurry was not what was intended by the gospel writers. Instead, these Advent scriptures were invitations to watch and wait, to clean and prepare, to ready ourselves "internally" and spiritually for the coming of the Christ child. It is a season when the tomb becomes the womb, and the season is one of preparing for birth. It's a pregnant time when we anticipate not only the birth of Jesus but the birthing of God within ourselves. It was Meister Eckhart, the 13^th century Christian mystic, who reminded us that we are all meant to be mothers of God. "What good is it," he wrote, "if Mary gave birth to the Son of God 1400 years ago and I do not also give birth to the Son of God in my time and my culture? We are all meant to be mothers of God."

If we are, indeed, all called to be mothers of God and to participate in bringing God's promise to fulfillment, then Advent becomes a time to ponder and reflect and discern just what it is that we will birth in this season.

Through the ages, the prophets have modeled how to be "mothers of God." Anna Howard Shaw was one of those prophets. What could have been life in a tomb became life in the womb for this woman. With determination and trust in God's purposes, she entered Boston University School of Theology in 1876, the only woman in her class of 42 young men. Surviving on milk and crackers because there was no scholarship nor accommodations for this woman-would-be-pastor, Anna knew what it meant to be hungry. Following graduation, her name was presented for ordination at the New England Spring Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held in Boston in 1880. Denied ordination by the MEC, she sought ordination in the Methodist Protestant Conference and in October, 1880, was ordained in a service that was impressive and beautiful. Cheered, reviled, abandoned, vilified, respected, threatened and companioned, Anna spent her years working for the causes of temperance and suffrage.

Anna Howard Shaw's prophetic voice was heard recently at Boston University's Marsh Chapel, as Rev. Annie Britton portrayed Anna's life and story in a brief reenactment. It was touching beyond words. Here was Annie, a 21^st century prophet, one of the first to be ordained by CWAC Movement, sharing the harrowing tale of Anna's story of ordination: rejection and exclusion by one denomination and acceptance and ordination by another. Here was Annie, a 21^st century prophet, by her mere presence, challenging the status quo, and calling her listeners to be workers for justice and inclusion. Here was Annie, a 21^st century prophet who had moved from tomb to womb in order to birth new possibilities.

I give thanks for Anna. I give thanks for Annie. I give thanks for the Church Within A Church Movement that is a birthing place for justice and inclusion, where progressive liturgy and new church starts and extraordinary ordinations and anti-racism training model being an inclusive, progressive church living tomorrow today!

May we all be mothers of God this Advent season, birthing hope and peace, justice and love, as we participate in bringing God's promises to fulfillment.