4919. 'And it happened as she was giving birth' means a bringing forth. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving birth' as acknowledging in faith and action, dealt with in 3905, 3915, 3919. And because that which is acknowledged in faith and action is something that is brought forth, 'giving birth' also means a bringing forth - a bringing forth of good and truth, the essentials of the Church.

The Lord is life itself, and we are recipients of life. This is true even of the most evil spirits, who loved only themselves in life and hate and deny the Lord from their place in the lowest hells; the Lord forces life upon them, despite their rejection, in the amount necessary to keep them from ceasing to exist. The situation is much different, of course, with people who accept and follow the Lord; by doing this they open themselves up to the inflow of life, and become more full the more open they are. This is the “life” in question when the Bible uses that word. It indicates spiritual life, the life that comes from the Lord into our hearts and minds. We accept life from the Lord by learning about Him, learning what is right and wrong, and by determining that we will stop doing what's wrong and instead do what is right.