Last night, during the epistle reading, Rachel (my wife) went into labor. Two hours later we welcomed our seventh child into the world: a raven-headed baby girl who, weighing-in at 7lbs 6oz, wins the trophy for heaviest Brians baby.
Last night was special: whereas Rachel has always reached and caught the baby for our previous six, this time I got to be the catcher; I got to be the first welcome my daughter god in the world.
Having just hosted Esther Meek last month on Oahu, having read through her newest book, having interviewed her with my friends Laura Clawson and Brian Moats for the Theopolis Podcast (you can find that episode here), I had a section from her book in my mind during all the wildness of the delivery (I’ve truncated it a bit for the brevity of this piece):
“When you were born, you were caught as you came out of the chute, so to speak —caught and embraced in the arms of your mother […] You were held face to face, there at the beginning […] and if not your birth mother, some other had to catch you and care for you. Or you would not have survived. Mother’s gaze was one of freely offered delight and welcome. Hello! Here you are! I’m so glad you are here! We’ve been waiting so long for you, and your being here is endlessly wonderful. Welcome to the world!” (p.9)
It struck me, probably not for the first time but in a deepened way this time, catching her, unwrapping the umbilical cord from around her shoulder and neck, wrapping her in a swaddling cloth, holding her to my skin (her first human fleshly embrace), how much this birth anticipates the Resurrection. The Beginning of human life anticipates its proper human End:
Cherubim and Seraphim attending like midwives, living flames of fire serving in the corners of the response to the summons of the Trumpet-call; the Risen all like newborns glowing; the Church-as-mother gazing at us in maternal delight; saints and martyrs embracing us like older siblings; the voice of the Father “Hello! Here you are! Welcome to the World! Enter into the joy of your Master.”
It’s like my son (my third born) just said to me: “She’s never been here before but it’s like ‘Welcome home!’”