Tuesday, December 6, 2011

pondering what it means to be virgin

excerpts of To Be Virgin, by Loretta Ross-Gotta
from Watch For the Light - Readings for Advent and Christmas

what matters in the deeper experience of contemplation is not the doing and accomplishing. what matters is relationship, the being with. we create holy ground and give birth to christ in our time not by doing but by believing and by loving the mysterious infinite one who stirs within. this requires trust that something of great and saving importance is growing and kicking its heels in you.

the angel summoned mary, betrothed to joseph, from the rather safe place of conventional wisdom to a realm where few of the old rules would make much sense. she entered that unknown called "virgin territory". she was on her own there. no one else could judge for her the validity of her experience.

she can measure her reality against scripture, the teachings of her tradition, her reason and intellect, and the counsel of wise friends. but finally it is up to her. the redemption of the creation is resting on the consent - the choice of this mortal woman to believe fearlessly that what she is experiencing is true. and to claim and live out that truth....

god asks us to give away everything of ourselves. the gift of greatest efficacy and power that we can offer god and creation is not our skills, gifts, abilities, and possessions. the wise men had their gold, frankincense, and myrrh... mary offered only space, love, belief.

be a womb. be a dwelling for god.

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