Theological implications of Microchimerism

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Theological implications of microchimerism.
Do a search of microchimerism on the internet, and you’ll find many reports and references concerning this only recently discovered phenomenon. One example of a simple introduction from Cradlewise website is this:

“It’s common knowledge that mothers pass nutrition, DNA, maternal cells, and immunity, among many other things, to their babies when they are in the womb. And as mothers often say, their babies are always a part of them. While many mothers say this figuratively, scientists have discovered that if you’ve physically given birth, it’s literally true as well: Some of your baby’s DNA will always be present in your body, even after delivery.

When a baby is in the womb, a part of their DNA moves to the mother’s body through the placenta and embeds itself in the mother’s tissues, becoming a permanent part of her. This is why mothers are made from not only their own genetic material, but also the genetic material of their children. Scientists call this occurrence microchimerism.”

This transfer happens both ways. Aeon website reports, concerning this:

Within weeks of conception, cells from both mother and foetus traffic back and forth across the placenta, resulting in one becoming a part of the other. During pregnancy, as much as 10 per cent of the free-floating DNA in the mother’s bloodstream comes from the foetus, and while these numbers drop precipitously after birth, some cells remain. Children, in turn, carry a population of cells acquired from their mothers that can persist well into adulthood, and in the case of females might inform the health of their own offspring.

The implications of this physical, biological transfer in the fields of theology are to say the least, fascinating. Mothers carry an “instinctive” link to, and bond with, their child - with every child they have conceived. My mother always “knew” when I was in some difficulty, before and after I left home as a young adult. She amazed me with this, but this is not so uncommon. This maternal gift has at least a partial physical explanation: it’s not merely the maternal instinct.

The implications in the supernatural, spiritual dimensions of life are even more fascinating.

The virgin Mary had a child, Jesus. Mary and Jesus therefore received genetic material transfer, Son to mother and mother to Son. This is an astounding truth to ponder! The Virgin Mary carried the DNA of Jesus Christ our Lord within her virginal body, and Jesus carried Mary’s in HIs. And since the soul of a person in linked to his body, the human soul of the Incarnate Divine Savior Jesus existed in Mary after her conception of Jesus. What effect would such a Gift be on the soul of the human person Mary? How would this effect her spiritual life? “Jesus living in Mary” has a meaning unique and unrepeatable in any other Christian, biologically and spiritually.

And does this speak to the title and reality of the doctrine Mary is Mother of the Faithful - Mother of the Church? Because Jesus is literally as well as spiritually “in Mary”, what can we say of those who “believe into Jesus” and are now “remaining in Jesus” and Jesus is “remaining in them” if Jesus is every “remaining in Mary as HIs Mother? If the “born again” (or translated “conceived again from above”) is now “in Jesus” and Jesus is “within Mary”, are not the believers “within Mary” as well? Does not the body carry the unique soul in each molecule of its DNA? Then is not Mary your real Mother in Jesus, necessarily, no matter how you may neglect to regard her this way?

Thus there are many spiritual implications in God’s designs in biology. Thus yes, the Real Presence in the Eucharist is essential to our religious and spiritual understanding - and, I would suggest - secondly, Mary is our Mother in Christ and is due a love and a devotion unlike that due to any other human person, or even that due to all the saints who ever lived or will live. The saints are due the veneration (Latin) dulia, but Mary our Mother and Mother of the Church, uniquely the (Latin) hyperdulia - above dulia, but less than latria, the adoration due to God alone. And it all matters, and is important.