The Unique Importance of Women to all God's children

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In reading the Pope’s homily at Our Lady’s Shrine in Paraguay today, I was struck again by the Truth of Mary as Mother and Model for all God’s children, but as I read his words addressed particularly to the women, I was mindful of the unique importance of women to all God’s children of every age. We see this modeled for us in Mary and we continue to experience the truth of God’s design for women:

…Mary is the woman of faith; she is the Mother of the Church; she believed. Her life testifies that God does not deceive us, or abandon his people, even in moments or situations when it might seem that he is not there. Mary was the first of her Son’s disciples and in moments of difficulty she kept alive the hope of the apostles. A woman attentive to the needs of others, she could say – when it seemed like the feast and joy were at an end – “they have no wine” (Jn 2:3). She was the woman who went to stay with her cousin Elizabeth “about three months” (Lk 1:56), so that Elizabeth would not be alone as she prepared to give birth.

We know all this from the Gospel, but we also know that in this land she is the Mother who has stood beside us in so many difficult situations. This shrine preserves and treasures the memory of a people who know that Mary is their Mother, and that she has always been at the side of her children.

Mary has always been in our hospitals, our schools and our homes. She has always sat at table in every home. She has always been part of the history of this country, making it a nation. Hers has been a discreet and silent presence, making itself felt through a statue, a holy card or a medal. Under the sign of the rosary, we know that we are never alone.

Why? Because Mary wanted to be in the midst of her people, with her children, with her family. She followed Jesus always, from within the crowd. As a good Mother, she did not want to abandon her children, rather, she would always show up wherever one of her children was in need. For the simple reason that she is our Mother.

A Mother who learned, amid so many hardships, the meaning of the words: “Do not be afraid, the Lord is with you”. A Mother who keeps saying to us: “Do whatever he tells you”. This is what she constantly says to us: “Do whatever he tells you”. She doesn’t have a plan of her own; she doesn’t come to tell us something new. She simply accompanies our faith with her own.

You know this from experience. All of you, all Paraguayans, share in the living memory of a people who have made incarnate these words of the Gospel. Here I would like especially to mention you, the women, wives and mothers of Paraguay, who at great cost and sacrifice were able to lift up a country defeated, devastated and laid low by war. You are keepers of the memory, the lifeblood of those who rebuilt the life, faith and dignity of your people. Like Mary, you lived through many difficult situations which, in the eyes of the world, would seem to discredit all faith. Yet, like Mary, inspired and sustained by her example, you continued to believe, even “hoping against all hope” (Rom 4:18). When all seemed to be falling apart, with Mary you said: “Let us not be afraid, the Lord is with us; he is with our people, with our families; let us do what he tells us”. Then and now, you found the strength not to let this land lose its bearings. God bless your perseverance, God bless and encourage your faith, God bless the women of Paraguay, the most glorious women of America…

There are several places on the Forum I might have posted this, but I chose to post in the “Evangelization” area because all formation in the Faith and all seeds of evangelization begin in the home. There can be no birth without Mother and Father, yet it is the Mother primarily, by God’s design, who nurtures the child. No wonder Jesus gave Mary to us from the Cross! He knew how much the Church would need her, and women like her. As was said at the close of Vatican II: “…women imbued with the Gospel, can do so much to keep the world from falling”. May the women of every nation be as faithful as the women the Pope praised today in Paraguay. By God’s grace may we persevere in faith and help all God’s children to persevere. See HERE for the complete text of the Pope’s homily.

 

[MariaChristi]

Please see: HERE for full text of Pope’s homily.

So sorry – link in the Original Post was incorrect! Thanks for your patience with a “non - techie”