I am married and we have not been able to conceive a child who has lived past birth - which I guess makes me cursed in your interpretation of Scripture.
When you take out the need and value of redemptive suffering it’s all very easy to categorize and compartmentalize another’s cross. God alone deigns how He is to be glorified and if my cross is a baby sized one that I hold in my heart to glorify Him and be sanctified, I’m not sure I would ever consider myself cursed. It is the cross that carries to Heaven or provides the fuel for our place in Hell. Yes, this is a personal response to your piece but I know the heartache and guilt that accompanies infertility and there are more of us than you would like to think, who have neither been deceived nor contributed to our childlessness.
May Our Lady of Sorrows reveal to us all where we have erred and conform us to the Will of her Son; May in all things He be glorified.
In response to GC, whose comment seems to have disappeared from my view.
I think perhaps you didn't read far enough through the article. Which, it was a bit long :)
But I specifically address the point that you bring up in my first quote from Teddy:
>>There are many good people who are denied the supreme blessing of children, and for these we have the respect and sympathy always due to those who, from no fault of their own, are denied any of the other great blessings of life. But the man or woman who deliberately foregoes these blessings, whether from viciousness, coldness, shallow-heartedness, self-indulgence, or mere failure to appreciate aright the difference between the all-important and the unimportant,—why, such a creature merits contempt as hearty as any visited upon the soldier who runs away in battle, or upon the man who refuses to work for the support of those dependent upon him, and who tho able-bodied is yet content to eat in idleness the bread which others provide.
This post is dealing with those who, either deliberately or via false doctrine, don't have children. It is not addressing those who are married, having frequent sex with their husbands, and God has not (yet) given them children.
I am married and we have not been able to conceive a child who has lived past birth - which I guess makes me cursed in your interpretation of Scripture. When you take out the need and value of redemptive suffering it’s all very easy to categorize and compartmentalize another’s cross. God alone deigns how He is to be glorified and if my cross is a baby sized one that I hold in my heart to glorify Him and be sanctified, I’m not sure I would ever consider myself cursed. It is the cross that carries to Heaven or provides the fuel for our place in Hell. Yes, this is a personal response to your piece but I know the heartache and guilt that accompanies infertility and there are more of us than you would like to think, who have neither been deceived nor contributed to our childlessness. May Our Lady of Sorrows reveal to us all where we have erred and conform us to the Will of her Son; May in all things He be glorified.
Thanks Von, I appreciate your reply. Ultimately we are to love Almighty God for His own sake, not for blessings or what He gives us for our own sanctification. This was the lens through
This was the lens through which I read Helen’s original article and why I was enormously appreciative of it. At times in some circles, fecundity is used as a means of virtue signaling and this is where I think we have strayed, or the pendulum has swung back. We lose our compassion for those who have been deceived, or made the mistake of foregoing motherhood and instead of praying for their conversion, we very bleakly point out how we are better. Truth is truth and it must always be spoken, even when not well received, but also it must come from a place of loving our neighbour and not our own pride. This is how I interpreted Helen’s article.
The lovely midwife, Jan, commented in another related post that she sees on the ground exactly what Helen is pointing out, which is saddening but also eye opening for those who wrote it had no real world application.
Our Lord knows what He is doing and what He brings about!
A thorough meditation on a weighty matter. We do love ease more than God's ways. May our hearts be changed, beginning with the house of God.
I was particularly gratified to see a quote from Stepping Heavenward. Can't say I've ever seen it referenced. My mom collected this book from used book stores whenever she could find copies and gave them to young women and young mothers as an encouragement. I read it as a teen and greatly benefited from its unique perspective; particularly for me, one of three boys.
My dad republished it in paper ack around 1980, as I recall.
I am married and we have not been able to conceive a child who has lived past birth - which I guess makes me cursed in your interpretation of Scripture.
When you take out the need and value of redemptive suffering it’s all very easy to categorize and compartmentalize another’s cross. God alone deigns how He is to be glorified and if my cross is a baby sized one that I hold in my heart to glorify Him and be sanctified, I’m not sure I would ever consider myself cursed. It is the cross that carries to Heaven or provides the fuel for our place in Hell. Yes, this is a personal response to your piece but I know the heartache and guilt that accompanies infertility and there are more of us than you would like to think, who have neither been deceived nor contributed to our childlessness.
May Our Lady of Sorrows reveal to us all where we have erred and conform us to the Will of her Son; May in all things He be glorified.
In response to GC, whose comment seems to have disappeared from my view.
I think perhaps you didn't read far enough through the article. Which, it was a bit long :)
But I specifically address the point that you bring up in my first quote from Teddy:
>>There are many good people who are denied the supreme blessing of children, and for these we have the respect and sympathy always due to those who, from no fault of their own, are denied any of the other great blessings of life. But the man or woman who deliberately foregoes these blessings, whether from viciousness, coldness, shallow-heartedness, self-indulgence, or mere failure to appreciate aright the difference between the all-important and the unimportant,—why, such a creature merits contempt as hearty as any visited upon the soldier who runs away in battle, or upon the man who refuses to work for the support of those dependent upon him, and who tho able-bodied is yet content to eat in idleness the bread which others provide.
This post is dealing with those who, either deliberately or via false doctrine, don't have children. It is not addressing those who are married, having frequent sex with their husbands, and God has not (yet) given them children.
She wrote:
I am married and we have not been able to conceive a child who has lived past birth - which I guess makes me cursed in your interpretation of Scripture. When you take out the need and value of redemptive suffering it’s all very easy to categorize and compartmentalize another’s cross. God alone deigns how He is to be glorified and if my cross is a baby sized one that I hold in my heart to glorify Him and be sanctified, I’m not sure I would ever consider myself cursed. It is the cross that carries to Heaven or provides the fuel for our place in Hell. Yes, this is a personal response to your piece but I know the heartache and guilt that accompanies infertility and there are more of us than you would like to think, who have neither been deceived nor contributed to our childlessness. May Our Lady of Sorrows reveal to us all where we have erred and conform us to the Will of her Son; May in all things He be glorified.
Thanks Von, I appreciate your reply. Ultimately we are to love Almighty God for His own sake, not for blessings or what He gives us for our own sanctification. This was the lens through
Sorry, hit enter too soon.
This was the lens through which I read Helen’s original article and why I was enormously appreciative of it. At times in some circles, fecundity is used as a means of virtue signaling and this is where I think we have strayed, or the pendulum has swung back. We lose our compassion for those who have been deceived, or made the mistake of foregoing motherhood and instead of praying for their conversion, we very bleakly point out how we are better. Truth is truth and it must always be spoken, even when not well received, but also it must come from a place of loving our neighbour and not our own pride. This is how I interpreted Helen’s article.
The lovely midwife, Jan, commented in another related post that she sees on the ground exactly what Helen is pointing out, which is saddening but also eye opening for those who wrote it had no real world application.
Our Lord knows what He is doing and what He brings about!
A general note. I can see, on my phone, that GC has commented, but I cannot see them on my computer.
A thorough meditation on a weighty matter. We do love ease more than God's ways. May our hearts be changed, beginning with the house of God.
I was particularly gratified to see a quote from Stepping Heavenward. Can't say I've ever seen it referenced. My mom collected this book from used book stores whenever she could find copies and gave them to young women and young mothers as an encouragement. I read it as a teen and greatly benefited from its unique perspective; particularly for me, one of three boys.
My dad republished it in paper ack around 1980, as I recall.