MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM
In
the Catholic Church, one of my observations is the number of women
involved in church activities. Oftentimes, women outnumber men in
attendance at Mass, prayer groups and seminars. Women seem to be keener
to offer a hand when it comes to organizing church affairs. Have you
noticed this, too?
Luke reports to us a typical day in the life and times of Jesus, going
through villages and towns — preaching, teaching and healing. He
mentions that certain women accompanied Him along the way. John tells us
of the women who stood at the foot of the cross of Jesus, of women
touched by Jesus’ ministry who saw it fitting to serve and offer
assistance to Him. The Lord enjoys their generosity, which is a very big
statement in the eyes of a society where women were seen as inferior
and looked down upon by their male counterpart. Even in many societies
today, women are seen as second-class citizens. Many popes and spiritual
writers have
denounced this attitude and sought to renew the value and dignity of
women in the life of the Church and society at large.
Noticeably, our Church is predominantly patriarchal. Men lead the
Church through the cardinals. Men are called to the priesthood in the
person and name of Christ who was a man. Men are often seen in top
positions, but there are now many women taking prime positions in the
life of the Church and the world. Many world leaders now have women
guiding and influencing their governments. I believe this is a good
thing. Women bring a certain level of warmth, genuine concern, intuition
and constancy in their dealings with people. They complement men and
play an important role in the formation and nourishment of life. After
all, none of us would exist
on earth if it was not for the woman we call mother. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
REFLECTION
QUESTIONS: Do you believe in the equality of men and women? Do you
uphold the dignity of man and woman created in the image of God?
Lord, give us grace to respect and love all people, created in Your love. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment