Mother to Mother

by Virginia M. Kimball, S.T.D.

For indeed, as soon as your greeting came to my ears,

my baby leapt in my womb for joy! ^{Luke 1:44}

Love is … response, drawn from comfy bed to

                  an infant’s need that no mother denies

Arise, take your little Child and His mother,

flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word,

 because Herod will seek to destroy him. ^{Matthew 2:13}

Love is … a call in the middle of the night, sleep

                  punctured by piercing, tiny cries

                  (and losing children, pain no one denies)

A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,

weeping and great mourning.

Rachel was weeping for her children,

 and couldn’t be comforted,

 because they are no more. ^{Matthew 2:18 [Jeremiah 31]}

Love is … a comfort, a presence, of pain and labor

                  while waiting for the moment of delivery

Yes, a sword will pierce through your soul to its depths,

that many have rejected his unrequited act of love. ^{Luke 2:35}

Love is … the miracle of birth, struggle forgotten,

                  newness pulsing at our breasts maternally

Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk

so that through it you may grow into salvation. ^{1 Peter:2:2-3}

Love is … poverty, death, demise of all we know of family

                  knowing happiness found will last eternally

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;

there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.

There shall be no more pain, for the former things

have passed away. ^{Revelation 21:4}

Love is … response, drawn from comfy bed to

                  an infant’s need that no mother denies

Arise, take your little Child and His mother,

flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word
because Herod will seek to destroy him. ^{Matthew 2:13}