“Thank God for His indescribable gift." ~ 2
Corinthians 9:15
It’d been years since Joanne had
been to church. Now that the baby was on
its way, she figured a few extra blessings couldn’t hurt.
St. Mary’s was a magnificent stone church with delicate
stained glass windows. Cathedral bells
rang throughout the city, alerting the faithful it was time for the 9:30 a.m.
service.
Joanne slipped in silently wondering if anyone would notice
her. An usher glanced at her suspiciously,
like she was some sort of leper. Joanne
assumed it was because she was young, single and her pregnancy was finally
showing. She smiled and found a near-empty
pew at the back just as grand organ music filled the cavernous church. Families had turned out in their Sunday best;
making Joanne feel even more self-conscious.
She was certainly an outsider.
Father gave a rousing sermon about the importance of family
and the role each parent plays in raising children. “It’s a tough job,” he preached, “one which
required love, commitment, and courage.”
Joanne felt like all eyes were on her, condemning the lifestyle which
she had prayerfully accepted.
She wasn’t ashamed.
In fact, Joanne loved being pregnant and the experience of growing a
human being beneath her heart – a reality that was but 4 months away.
When it was time to offer each other a sign of peace, few
parishioners bothered to meet the stranger among them. She’d read about the practice of
“shunning.’ In an effort to reclaim the
church’s role as moral authority, some churches actually expelled members for
offenses ranging from adultery, gossiping, and unwed pregnancy citing the
Gospel of Matthew that says unremorseful sinners must be rejected.
As the church service ended and the choir finished an
inspiring version of Amazing Grace,
Joanne remained seated. The service had been
so uncomfortable, that she’d barely had time to thank God for her many
blessings – not the least of this was the impending birth of a beautiful child. Once the church had emptied, Father
approached.
“Welcome young lady,” he offered kindly. “I’m delighted to have you join us! Tell me a little about what brought you here
today.”
They talked for nearly an hour. At one point, Father wiped tears of joy from
his eyes when he learned that Joanne was a surrogate mother for her brother and
his paralyzed wife.
What kind of woman would carry a child to term, only to hand
him over moments after birth? Surrogates
challenge our most basic ideas about motherhood and call into question what
we’ve always thought of as an unbreakable bond between mother and child. What kind of woman? A compassionate woman - one with a compelling
desire to help a friend or stranger stricken by misfortune. God loves surrogates, and blesses their
journeys from beginning to end.
Lord, bless those who encounter morning
sickness and fatigue to help make a family possible for someone who almost gave
up. Let them carry their pregnancy full term, and
deliver the healthiest baby possible for their intended parents. Amen
