“Tradition and innovation fighting to change the familiar structure”,
“Freedom to proclaim the truth in the squares”, “Christianity in modern society.” All these topics crowd the chatter on social networks and on the phone lines, groups that are pro and con. All of this leaves me very confused and a deeply bitter. What does all of this mean for my life? How does it provoke me, now, here? With these questions in my heart I arrive at the labor and delivery unit. Emma is in labor and the midwife who had been working the previous shift told me about her, about her obstetric history: first pregnancy, twins, in-vitro fertilization. “First pregnancy and IVF…who knows why”, I think to myself. Immediately the answer arrives. Emma has a relationship with another woman. The midwife, ironically, jokes around, saying Mr. and Mrs., judging and criticizing. I listened in silence, with the heart upside-down. All the discussion about this issue flooded my mind, leaving me confused and unprepared. I opened the door to their room and in the darkness Emma was crying, the contractions were strong, she was tense, holding her breath because of the pain of the contractions. Her partner stayed beside her, unable to answer that infinite need before her. I watched them. Immediately I knelt down in front of Emma, and we started to talk, I answered all her questions, give her painkillers, giving her some advice. Leila, her partner, didn’t miss a word of what I’m saying. She prepared a warm bath for Emma, she learned how to massage her back during the contractions, she did everything to take some of the pain away of Emma, to support her, to tell her “I’m here with you”. It was three o’clock in the morning, I auscultated the babies’ heartbeat, and suddenly realized that I was attached to those women; their faces were mysteriously dear to me. I realized that I have been in front of them with my most authentic “I”. I didn’t feel like I belonged either to the group of midwives who condemn them, nor to the group that said, “What’s the matter? It’s normal nowadays”. Real affection went beyond that categories. It’s me, living my faith as an adult in the world, responding to the need in front of me. My heart was at peace.

Next door was Sarah, she was 16. Her boyfriend, proudly showing his mature attitude of a 17 years old man, was scrutinizing me under his gaze. They both came from devastated families with social issues and problems with the law. She was in labor. At a certain point in the night I needed to examine her. Shouting from the pain she said, “I’m too young for this pain!” At that cry I stopped and I looked at them. I felt such a deep tenderness as I stared at them. How these young people have grown up, without any education, without even the awareness that some acts could have such incredible consequences, like a child. I thought about that child. I entrust him to the One who wanted this child on this earth so that He could take care of him or her, despite, or through, (if God wills) those teenage parents, mysteriously and already dear to my heart.