Relationship Through the Lens of Miriam of Nazareth — Part 5 of 5

*The main source for this reflections series was the book Truly Our Sister: A Theology of Mary in the Communion of Saints, by Elizabeth A. Johnson. 

*This reflection series was initially published by Tau Center, a spirituality ministry of the Wheaton Franciscans.  

Christ is born! — Miriam as Theotokos, God-bearer 

Amidst the joy of a precious baby’s birth, of one who would become known throughout the world for millennia as the Christ, we remember that Miriam was the biological mother of this boy Jesus.  She had the very real experience of pregnancy, from excitement to discomfort.  She had the very real experience of labor and delivery, with all its pain and relief.  There’s no easy way around birth, especially at that time in history.  To this day, birthing a child is one of the most vulnerable things a woman can do, and Miriam did so in one of the most exposed settings imaginable. 

Miriam is called the Theotokos, which is a Greek word meaning God-bearer.  Johnson (2003) writes, “God and a woman together bring forth the Christ.” (p.14). Isn’t it wonderful to realize God’s passageway to us, for bringing forth the life of Jesus, was through this incredible and very human woman, Miriam.  No doubt she raised her child as mother’s do – nurturing with consistency, fiercely protecting, teaching to empower, and loving without end.  Surely Jesus held the imprint of Miriam’s love in his being. 

When we consider the fullness of Miriam’s life on earth in its historical context, and recognize her humanity in the various relationships she held, her life becomes an invitation.  We realize we too are called in our own ways to the same one-in-being-ness with God as she was.  Through this lens we can recognize her as the wonderful “soul sister” of ours that she is. “Her historical life having ended, she died and passed into the unimaginable, life-giving embrace of the living God.  Now she joins the company of loving, faithful people who encourage those still running the race.” (p. 313) 

As we reflect on Miriam’s life and relationships we might find that God invites us to also be passageways for the Sacred to enter the world.  Give some thought to the axiom “We are all meant to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.” (p. 34)  Perhaps God wants to be born through each of us in a new way this Christmas! 

Point of Reflection:  Where might you be called to birth more Love into the world? 

May you be inspired! 

For further contemplation on Relationships Through the Lens of Miriam of Nazareth, ask Miriam to pray with you during the Christmas Season. 

You may hear Catholics say they “pray" to Miriam, or Mary, but that’s not quite an accurate use of the word.  We really only pray to, as in worship, God.  Yet we can communicate soul to soul with Miriam or anyone else, whether on earth or in heaven, through our connection in the communion of saints.  Johnson explains that “… the communion of saints stands for a relationship among all holy people of all ages, including the whole company of heaven…and… in a fascinating way, for generations as yet unborn… The whole church through time shares in a communion of hope in the Spirit.” (p. 102).  We can ask these souls to pray for us, and to join us, when we address God.  So, just as you might say to a friend, “please pray for me,” so too we can ask this of Miriam. 

Praying with Miriam 

God of us all, thank you for the life of Miriam of Nazareth, who walked the earth over 2000 years ago.  Thank you for blessing the world with Miriam’s son, Jesus, who grew in her womb, and whose life as an infant, child, and adolescent was shaped by her love. 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that like you we can experience a profound relationship between our humanity and the Creator of the Universe — loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that like you we may maintain a quality of spiritual purity, trusting our inner autonomy in relationship with the Divine… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that like you we may see holiness alive in us and around us, regardless of gender, class, religion, or the era in which we were born… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that like you we can testify, with grounded liberation, to the everyday good news for which we are grateful and hopeful… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that we too may cooperate with grace in welcoming that which is ours to do, with a courage that outweighs any fear… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that we may embrace the tangible and embodied parts of our story with serenity… 

Miriam, our sister in faith, please pray with us to God… 

…that we may remember our place in the communion of saints, that we too are invited to collaborate with you in bringing God’s love to the world… 

Eternal God, thank you for the ways in which one soul can inspire another.  Thank you for hearing all prayers between heaven and earth.  Please hold them in the heart of your loving energy that is the source of everything.  Amen. 

Use this link to read the PDF of this piece from Tau Center: Miriam as Theotokos, God-bearer

Reference for this reflection: Christ is born! — Miriam as Theotokos, God-bearer

Johnson, E. (2003).  Truly Our Sister: A Theology of Mary in the Communion of Saints. The Continuum International Publishing Group.

Leave a comment