I just tried to leave a comment on your Florida Catholic post, but it wouldn't let me do so as a guest (technology sometimes). As such, I'll leave it here, noting that it's in reply to your post, "And became man."
Beautiful post. It's so moving to remember that Christ was Man and experienced ordinary things just like us. One thing that I did want to mention, however, is that Our Lady did not experience pain in childbirth. This traditional belief, which can be found in the writings of Church Fathers such as St. Augustine of Hippo, stems from her Immaculate Conception. We women experience pain in childbirth as a result of Original Sin; childbirth pain is one of the punishments that God gave Eve in the Garden after the Fall.
However, since Mary was conceived without Original Sin, she did not suffer this pain, which occurs only because of Original Sin. Furthermore, she remained a virgin even after giving birth to Our Lord, meaning that the birth itself was not only sacred but also miraculous. St. Augustine wrote that Our Lord's birth occurred as easily as "light passing through glass." That's a beautiful metaphor that I like to think about in meditating on the Third Joyful Mystery.
Thank you for your comment, Chantal! Yes, this is certainly a tradition born from the early Church but it's important to note that the Church has never issued a definitive statement on whether or not Mary experienced pain during childbirth. I'll share an interesting overview below of the history surrounding the question, if you're interested. One perspective that I personally have found fascinating and compelling has come from the birth stories of a few friends who actually experienced painless births of their own. My midwife assured me she has seen it, and it's incredible (though rare, HA! I definitely never got one). The reality of this made me wonder all the more what Mary's birth might have been like. But I always take care not to weigh in definitively on one side or another since the Church has not stated either way.
I just tried to leave a comment on your Florida Catholic post, but it wouldn't let me do so as a guest (technology sometimes). As such, I'll leave it here, noting that it's in reply to your post, "And became man."
Beautiful post. It's so moving to remember that Christ was Man and experienced ordinary things just like us. One thing that I did want to mention, however, is that Our Lady did not experience pain in childbirth. This traditional belief, which can be found in the writings of Church Fathers such as St. Augustine of Hippo, stems from her Immaculate Conception. We women experience pain in childbirth as a result of Original Sin; childbirth pain is one of the punishments that God gave Eve in the Garden after the Fall.
However, since Mary was conceived without Original Sin, she did not suffer this pain, which occurs only because of Original Sin. Furthermore, she remained a virgin even after giving birth to Our Lord, meaning that the birth itself was not only sacred but also miraculous. St. Augustine wrote that Our Lord's birth occurred as easily as "light passing through glass." That's a beautiful metaphor that I like to think about in meditating on the Third Joyful Mystery.
Thank you for your comment, Chantal! Yes, this is certainly a tradition born from the early Church but it's important to note that the Church has never issued a definitive statement on whether or not Mary experienced pain during childbirth. I'll share an interesting overview below of the history surrounding the question, if you're interested. One perspective that I personally have found fascinating and compelling has come from the birth stories of a few friends who actually experienced painless births of their own. My midwife assured me she has seen it, and it's incredible (though rare, HA! I definitely never got one). The reality of this made me wonder all the more what Mary's birth might have been like. But I always take care not to weigh in definitively on one side or another since the Church has not stated either way.
https://www.catholicherald.com/article/columns/straight-answers-the-painless-birth-of-christ/
I love Einaudi! His music is so soothing! Give this one a listen - one of my top 5 favorite pieces of all time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-HsW142T5g