Fourth Sunday of Advent B
December 2008
As we come to the end of Advent we must focus our attention on the centre - a young wife awaiting the immanent birth of her first child.
Up to not so long ago, say the end of the second world war, children were normally born at home. The local midwife - usually self appointed and self thought - she usually also volunteered to ‘lay out’ the bodies of the deceased - would probably be present, if the birth wasn’t too sudden. The expectant dad and other male relatives would be soothing their anxieties from a well hidden bottle. The female relatives would be all a bustle with hot water and towels and tons of t.l.c.
But here we have a young expectant mother, far from home and family, sheltering for the night in an outhouse, her only support a husband who, from what we see, was somewhat deficient in the planning and preparation department.
Not the sort of situation we would wish on anyone.
So for the next few days what better could I do than spend a few minutes from time to time with this young, frightened, expectant mother and offer her some of the assurance and t.l.c. she so badly needs.