POSTED BY GIGI ZAPIAIN--
Just a couple of weeks ago, our group finished the ENDOW course, Edith Stein: Seeker of Truth. We always take more time to complete any of the studies than what is usually expected, but nobody minds. Our bunch likes to do a lot of processing.
Lives of the saints are something I’ve read and enjoyed since childhood (remember The Picture Book of Saints by Fr. Lawrence Lovasik?) and in college my then-boyfriend introduced me to author Louis de Wohl, who wrote, among other things, a series of historical novels in the 1940’s and 50’s on saints and various figures pivotal in the history of the Church. One of my favorites was The Quiet Light, about the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, who disappointed and defied his illustrious and prosperous family of noble title. Their ambition was for young Thomas to be appointed a cardinal or at least a bishop – and were horrified by his taking a vow of poverty and joining a rag-tag mendicant order, the Dominicans. The plot hatched to tempt the young monk and shame him into leaving is as timeless as Thomas’ response is unique. His simplicity left his confessors in tears; while his writings, the fruit of his intense life of study, prayer, and contemplation, stunned the known world. After that novel, I had a new appreciation for my medieval philosophy class.
I really hadn’t connected saints with philosophy much since then until delving into the Edith Stein study. I found myself thinking about some of the things I had learned and remembered that it was Aquinas who said that “philosophy is the handmaiden of theology.” This was certainly true for Edith, whose earnest and scholarly study of philosophy could never quite answer her questions about reality, the nature of existence, and the ultimate meaning of life. It was only sometime later, through the example of Christian friends and colleagues, that Edith was able to drop what she called “the barriers of rationalistic prejudice” and became open to observing and experiencing without preconceived notions. Later, reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila, Edith became convinced of the truth of Christianity.
Philosophy deals with what can be known by human reason and can take us only so far, but if it is grounded in integrity and reality it can prepare the mind for the leap between empirical or natural truth (always with the help of grace) – to revealed or supernatural truth – that which we could only know through God’s Revelation. And because both natural and revealed truth come from the same Source, they can never be in opposition to one another.
In our own day, Pope John Paul II observed that that too often, modern thought claims that human reason and supernatural faith are at odds. In his encyclical Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason), the pope writes that faith and reason are not only compatible, but essential together. Faith without reason, he argues, leads to superstition. Reason without faith leads to relativism.
Hmm. Maybe that encyclical could be the topic of a future ENDOW study. In the meantime, I think I need to reread St. Teresa’s autobiography. I’m no philosopher, but given what it did for Edith Stein, I might have missed something the first time around.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Birthdays!
By Mercy Gutierrez
Liturgically, we just celebrated the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8th) and this feast day left me with many thoughts. As you might know, Catholics don’t usually celebrate saints’ birthdays in the Church. Pope Benedict remarked that “the Church always argued that it was premature to celebrate a birthday because the rest of the life of the person born on that day was subject to such ambiguity.” Obviously, the Blessed Mother is exempt from this norm because of her Immaculate Conception and grace-filled purity throughout life. However, Catholics typically celebrate the end of a saint’s life, usually marked by their date of death, knowing that is when the saint encountered the full splendor of Christ and entered into eternal life with Him. So, with our eyes fixed on eternity, it makes sense to celebrate the beginning of eternity rather than the beginning of our earthly life.
As women, God has entrusted us in a special way to celebrate life. The question remains, “how can we celebrate life while still reminding our children (biological or spiritual children) about our journey toward everlasting life?” This summer, I was impressed that my daughter received a special call from her Godfather on the date of her baptism, June 23rd. Every year, he has made a point to celebrate her “birth in Christ” more so than her natural birthday eight weeks earlier. Likewise, I hear of families who celebrate the feast days of all saints who carry their children’s namesake. Similarly, other families celebrate feasts of each child’s patron saint selected during their sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation. A friend of mine, upon entering religious life, was given a new name by her Superior and a new “birthday,” namely the feast of the saint given. No matter the tradition, the point remains the same. We must always orient our lives and that of our families toward heaven. Persevering in holiness is no easy task! So, any reminder of our heavenly destination and those who have successfully gone before us is a welcomed birthday gift in my mind!
Liturgically, we just celebrated the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8th) and this feast day left me with many thoughts. As you might know, Catholics don’t usually celebrate saints’ birthdays in the Church. Pope Benedict remarked that “the Church always argued that it was premature to celebrate a birthday because the rest of the life of the person born on that day was subject to such ambiguity.” Obviously, the Blessed Mother is exempt from this norm because of her Immaculate Conception and grace-filled purity throughout life. However, Catholics typically celebrate the end of a saint’s life, usually marked by their date of death, knowing that is when the saint encountered the full splendor of Christ and entered into eternal life with Him. So, with our eyes fixed on eternity, it makes sense to celebrate the beginning of eternity rather than the beginning of our earthly life.
As women, God has entrusted us in a special way to celebrate life. The question remains, “how can we celebrate life while still reminding our children (biological or spiritual children) about our journey toward everlasting life?” This summer, I was impressed that my daughter received a special call from her Godfather on the date of her baptism, June 23rd. Every year, he has made a point to celebrate her “birth in Christ” more so than her natural birthday eight weeks earlier. Likewise, I hear of families who celebrate the feast days of all saints who carry their children’s namesake. Similarly, other families celebrate feasts of each child’s patron saint selected during their sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation. A friend of mine, upon entering religious life, was given a new name by her Superior and a new “birthday,” namely the feast of the saint given. No matter the tradition, the point remains the same. We must always orient our lives and that of our families toward heaven. Persevering in holiness is no easy task! So, any reminder of our heavenly destination and those who have successfully gone before us is a welcomed birthday gift in my mind!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
List Vs Habits—Seeking Faith-filled Spouses
By Jamie Gruber
In high school my girlfriends and I read a book on book on Christian dating: how to date, who to date, when to date. We desired dating to be purposeful and God centered. The dating culture of our peers was driven by hormones and status, and easily ended. If we were to have purposeful and God-centered relationships, we would need to create a way to sustain meaning in the midst of chaos. Our solution to avoid falling into “another high school fling,” was to create a checklist against which each boy would be measured. Now, we did this with the best intentions: to stay pure and seek Christ. However, it shouldn’t surprise you that we didn’t have many dates. Let’s face it, no 17 year old guy had a chance.
The four short years of high school came and went and off to college we all went with the hope that a man would finally match our list… but yet another disappointment. To our innocent surprise, college did not produce perfect checklist quality men. Yet we still believed in the power of the list, so we clung to our list sure that it would soon yield a live person.
Leaving college I said to a friend: “Well, in high school and college males were still boys, but NOW in the working world, I will find a decent list-worthy man—after all, they do pay their own bills and work 9-5…” It has been a year since I left college and still, no list-approved dates.
This past weekend, I was part of a conference for young adults titled, “It Takes a Family to Raise a Village.” One of the professors gave a lecture on the dos and don’ts of marriage. In one sentence he changed my outlook on lists. He said don’t create a checklist of expectations for your future spouse—this is a recipe for disappointment. Instead, create a list of habits YOU want to bring to your future marriage. When husbands and wives are equipped with virtuous habits their relationship is able to flourish and grow toward Christ.
Immediately, my list was shattered. I was using the list to ignore my responsibilities in preparing for my vocation. Rather, I was idolizing my future husband’s perfection and his virtue. This weekend, I was reminded that marriage is a Sacrament, a window to Heaven. Ultimately, marriage is a vehicle to our sanctification. One day, my virtuous contribution will be just as vital as my husband’s to our salvation.
My new list has my name at the top and it is a list of habits I want to contribute to my marriage. There is a weight that has been lifted. It is not for me to match a man to my list. Instead it is my duty to form virtuous habits now. Habit formation is the greatest active marriage preparation we can do as single people. We love our future spouse the most when we create habits of virtue in ourselves that will lift our marriage to heaven.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds me that God has a perfect plan for my future. Building up virtue allows that plan to carry on as God sees fit and one day, through His Grace, I will meet my future husband and be fully equipped for marriage: “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.”
In high school my girlfriends and I read a book on book on Christian dating: how to date, who to date, when to date. We desired dating to be purposeful and God centered. The dating culture of our peers was driven by hormones and status, and easily ended. If we were to have purposeful and God-centered relationships, we would need to create a way to sustain meaning in the midst of chaos. Our solution to avoid falling into “another high school fling,” was to create a checklist against which each boy would be measured. Now, we did this with the best intentions: to stay pure and seek Christ. However, it shouldn’t surprise you that we didn’t have many dates. Let’s face it, no 17 year old guy had a chance.
The four short years of high school came and went and off to college we all went with the hope that a man would finally match our list… but yet another disappointment. To our innocent surprise, college did not produce perfect checklist quality men. Yet we still believed in the power of the list, so we clung to our list sure that it would soon yield a live person.
Leaving college I said to a friend: “Well, in high school and college males were still boys, but NOW in the working world, I will find a decent list-worthy man—after all, they do pay their own bills and work 9-5…” It has been a year since I left college and still, no list-approved dates.
This past weekend, I was part of a conference for young adults titled, “It Takes a Family to Raise a Village.” One of the professors gave a lecture on the dos and don’ts of marriage. In one sentence he changed my outlook on lists. He said don’t create a checklist of expectations for your future spouse—this is a recipe for disappointment. Instead, create a list of habits YOU want to bring to your future marriage. When husbands and wives are equipped with virtuous habits their relationship is able to flourish and grow toward Christ.
Immediately, my list was shattered. I was using the list to ignore my responsibilities in preparing for my vocation. Rather, I was idolizing my future husband’s perfection and his virtue. This weekend, I was reminded that marriage is a Sacrament, a window to Heaven. Ultimately, marriage is a vehicle to our sanctification. One day, my virtuous contribution will be just as vital as my husband’s to our salvation.
My new list has my name at the top and it is a list of habits I want to contribute to my marriage. There is a weight that has been lifted. It is not for me to match a man to my list. Instead it is my duty to form virtuous habits now. Habit formation is the greatest active marriage preparation we can do as single people. We love our future spouse the most when we create habits of virtue in ourselves that will lift our marriage to heaven.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds me that God has a perfect plan for my future. Building up virtue allows that plan to carry on as God sees fit and one day, through His Grace, I will meet my future husband and be fully equipped for marriage: “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.”
Thursday, August 20, 2009
I Like August
By Terry Polakovic
The other day I heard a radio commercial poking fun at the month of August as the only month without a designated holiday. The gist of the commercial was that there is nothing worse than the month of August. I must say, I respectfully disagree.
As a person who loves to learn, I have always found that there was something exhilarating about August. Summer winds down and everyone seems ready to get back into a regular routine and whether they will admit it or not, most people just do better when they have a routine. When my children were young I used the month of August to get them ready for school, motivate them and gear them up for all the new adventures waiting just around the corner. We carefully planned our trip to Target to purchase school supplies, and, once we were there, it would take us a couple of hours to choose the ideal backpacks and pens that would last for a year and notebooks that no one else would have. It wasn’t just a shopping trip; it was an art.
Education has the power to transform us and make us better versions of ourselves. This is just one of the reasons I love being a Catholic. As Catholics, we are heirs to the richest intellectual tradition in all of history. Unfortunately, very few of us even realize it. Fewer still make an effort to seek it out. But I think John Paul II got it right when he said, “Time dedicated to education is time truly well spent, because it determines a person’s future, and therefore the future of the family and of the whole society.” So, do yourself a favor and while everyone is getting ready for “back-to-school” get yourself ready too. Join an ENDOW group, read a book about the saints, read Frank Sheed’s Theology and Sanity, read George Weigel’s Witness to Hope about the life of Pope John Paul II. Education is a lifelong journey.
There are a few other things I like about August. I like the cooler mornings, I like fresh Colorado produce, I like buying a couple of new sweaters, I like planning our September Conference and thinking about all of the new women I might meet this year because of ENDOW. August? Bring it on!
The other day I heard a radio commercial poking fun at the month of August as the only month without a designated holiday. The gist of the commercial was that there is nothing worse than the month of August. I must say, I respectfully disagree.
As a person who loves to learn, I have always found that there was something exhilarating about August. Summer winds down and everyone seems ready to get back into a regular routine and whether they will admit it or not, most people just do better when they have a routine. When my children were young I used the month of August to get them ready for school, motivate them and gear them up for all the new adventures waiting just around the corner. We carefully planned our trip to Target to purchase school supplies, and, once we were there, it would take us a couple of hours to choose the ideal backpacks and pens that would last for a year and notebooks that no one else would have. It wasn’t just a shopping trip; it was an art.
Education has the power to transform us and make us better versions of ourselves. This is just one of the reasons I love being a Catholic. As Catholics, we are heirs to the richest intellectual tradition in all of history. Unfortunately, very few of us even realize it. Fewer still make an effort to seek it out. But I think John Paul II got it right when he said, “Time dedicated to education is time truly well spent, because it determines a person’s future, and therefore the future of the family and of the whole society.” So, do yourself a favor and while everyone is getting ready for “back-to-school” get yourself ready too. Join an ENDOW group, read a book about the saints, read Frank Sheed’s Theology and Sanity, read George Weigel’s Witness to Hope about the life of Pope John Paul II. Education is a lifelong journey.
There are a few other things I like about August. I like the cooler mornings, I like fresh Colorado produce, I like buying a couple of new sweaters, I like planning our September Conference and thinking about all of the new women I might meet this year because of ENDOW. August? Bring it on!
Friday, August 14, 2009
There’s No Such Thing as a Coincidence
By Gigi Zapiain
There I was, minding my own business, finally getting some work done when yet another email lands in my inbox. At first I resisted the temptation to look at it, but upon seeing it was from ENDOW, of course it had to be opened immediately. It was an invitation to contribute to this blog – so here I am. But if there is ever an issue with anything I might set down here – you know to send your grievance to The Management – and perhaps I can get more work done again. But if I’m lucky, that won’t happen.
I became involved with ENDOW studies about 18 months ago pretty much out of pure skepticism. I had read Letter to Women, Mulieris Dignitatem, Redemptoris Mater, and studied St. Thomas’ Summa Theologica in graduate school back in Washington, D.C. World-class philosophers and theologians like Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas aren’t particularly easy to read – not anything you would take to the beach – so can this little outfit out of Denver really claim to make their writings accessible to the average woman? Especially since they use the real stuff, not summaries or paraphrases. So I joined a new ENDOW group. Not as a facilitator, mind you. I just wanted to be “one of the gals.”
My first surprise came from the documents themselves. I had read Letter to Women as an academic requirement. I could tell you what it was about and the major points the Holy Father was making – but I had no idea part of the strategy had been to influence the U.N. World Conference on Women taking place the same year the Letter was published. “Pretty crafty,” I thought – but that’s JPII for you – thinking globally and acting both on the world stage and as an individual, writing to every woman in the world. Interesting insight, but not a stunner. Then the study guide points out that the whole Letter is written in the form of an extended Examination of Conscience – whoa – I had never picked up on that and my professor had never mentioned it. During an intensive Ignatian retreat I once did, a daily personal examination of conscience was included for us to confront ourselves, face up to our sins and shortcomings, and resolve to do better. Was this what the Holy Father was doing? I had to know…and so did everyone else in our group.
Then there were the women. There were eight of us all together, a random collection of housewives, single working women, and retirees who were willing to come out one evening a week. Our only discernable common traits were love of the faith and a curiosity about what it might be like to talk with perfect strangers about the writings of Pope John Paul II. As would surprise no one, we did not remain strangers for long – and I was hooked. As someone once said to me, “In the Providence of God, there are no coincidences, only our recognition of His hand at work.”
There I was, minding my own business, finally getting some work done when yet another email lands in my inbox. At first I resisted the temptation to look at it, but upon seeing it was from ENDOW, of course it had to be opened immediately. It was an invitation to contribute to this blog – so here I am. But if there is ever an issue with anything I might set down here – you know to send your grievance to The Management – and perhaps I can get more work done again. But if I’m lucky, that won’t happen.
I became involved with ENDOW studies about 18 months ago pretty much out of pure skepticism. I had read Letter to Women, Mulieris Dignitatem, Redemptoris Mater, and studied St. Thomas’ Summa Theologica in graduate school back in Washington, D.C. World-class philosophers and theologians like Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas aren’t particularly easy to read – not anything you would take to the beach – so can this little outfit out of Denver really claim to make their writings accessible to the average woman? Especially since they use the real stuff, not summaries or paraphrases. So I joined a new ENDOW group. Not as a facilitator, mind you. I just wanted to be “one of the gals.”
My first surprise came from the documents themselves. I had read Letter to Women as an academic requirement. I could tell you what it was about and the major points the Holy Father was making – but I had no idea part of the strategy had been to influence the U.N. World Conference on Women taking place the same year the Letter was published. “Pretty crafty,” I thought – but that’s JPII for you – thinking globally and acting both on the world stage and as an individual, writing to every woman in the world. Interesting insight, but not a stunner. Then the study guide points out that the whole Letter is written in the form of an extended Examination of Conscience – whoa – I had never picked up on that and my professor had never mentioned it. During an intensive Ignatian retreat I once did, a daily personal examination of conscience was included for us to confront ourselves, face up to our sins and shortcomings, and resolve to do better. Was this what the Holy Father was doing? I had to know…and so did everyone else in our group.
Then there were the women. There were eight of us all together, a random collection of housewives, single working women, and retirees who were willing to come out one evening a week. Our only discernable common traits were love of the faith and a curiosity about what it might be like to talk with perfect strangers about the writings of Pope John Paul II. As would surprise no one, we did not remain strangers for long – and I was hooked. As someone once said to me, “In the Providence of God, there are no coincidences, only our recognition of His hand at work.”
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August Acceptance
By Mercy Gutierrez
Last month, I delivered a series of talks for women attending an all-day summer retreat. Although I was given four hours to teach, I was the one who walked away really learning a valuable truth. Let me explain:
The title for the retreat was Transformed by the Spirit: Living in His Truth with Conviction and my lectures addressed the journey of a Christian life. We started the day examining our lives, especially the areas where we are in most need of repentance and reconciliation. After recognizing the need for Christ to transform our hearts, strengthen our minds and cleanse our souls, we discussed the importance of learning the faith, living in Truth and growing in love for the Lord. Then, during the closing lecture, we discussed the importance of persevering in holiness in times of joy and suffering.
During the joy-filled moments in our life, it is easy to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and mercy (as long as we remember to give HIM the glory). However, during times of suffering, it is not as easy. Suffering is complicated. It is intellectually difficult to understand and emotionally draining to discuss. So in preparation for the talk, I asked the Holy Spirit to send me a word that would lend comfort during those times of suffering in our lives. He sent me two words in prayer: availability and obedience. When God calls us to persevere in love and service to Him and the Church, we need only be available to His wants and obedient to His needs. Just as Samuel said in the Old Testament, “Here I am Lord (available), I come to do your will (obedient),” we need to respond with an open and willing heart. In doing so, we allow God to truly penetrate the daily circumstances of our lives, especially in times of sorrow and suffering.
As I wrapped up the session, I decided to open up the floor for personal remarks. At that, an older woman in the front humbly raised her hand. She thanked me for the day’s presentations and asked if she could add a “word” regarding the last session. She said, “we surely need availability and we must be obedient, but in my 60 years of living, I understand that we also need acceptance.” Acceptance. How true. And no one knew this better than the women in the room.
You see, throughout the day, many of the women approached me to tell me about what God was doing in their lives: one woman had just lost her husband and was left to raise their three teenage sons; another had lost her daughter to a brain aneurysm just days before her wedding was to take place; another had two sons with severe disabilities; another was devastated that her thirty-year marriage was falling to pieces; another was lamenting that her grown children had left the Church. These women knew suffering. They were living it out everyday. Just as the women on my retreat knew suffering, so do many of the women in our ENDOW groups.
It is difficult to accept certain crosses that we are given, but we must make it an act of faith, trusting in God’s plan for our lives. Although we may not be able to answer the “whys” of such sufferings, we patiently wait to discover “how” God will use them for the good. We must find consolation in the trusting words of the prophet Isaiah: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts, says the Lord” (55:9).
Last month, I delivered a series of talks for women attending an all-day summer retreat. Although I was given four hours to teach, I was the one who walked away really learning a valuable truth. Let me explain:
The title for the retreat was Transformed by the Spirit: Living in His Truth with Conviction and my lectures addressed the journey of a Christian life. We started the day examining our lives, especially the areas where we are in most need of repentance and reconciliation. After recognizing the need for Christ to transform our hearts, strengthen our minds and cleanse our souls, we discussed the importance of learning the faith, living in Truth and growing in love for the Lord. Then, during the closing lecture, we discussed the importance of persevering in holiness in times of joy and suffering.
During the joy-filled moments in our life, it is easy to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and mercy (as long as we remember to give HIM the glory). However, during times of suffering, it is not as easy. Suffering is complicated. It is intellectually difficult to understand and emotionally draining to discuss. So in preparation for the talk, I asked the Holy Spirit to send me a word that would lend comfort during those times of suffering in our lives. He sent me two words in prayer: availability and obedience. When God calls us to persevere in love and service to Him and the Church, we need only be available to His wants and obedient to His needs. Just as Samuel said in the Old Testament, “Here I am Lord (available), I come to do your will (obedient),” we need to respond with an open and willing heart. In doing so, we allow God to truly penetrate the daily circumstances of our lives, especially in times of sorrow and suffering.
As I wrapped up the session, I decided to open up the floor for personal remarks. At that, an older woman in the front humbly raised her hand. She thanked me for the day’s presentations and asked if she could add a “word” regarding the last session. She said, “we surely need availability and we must be obedient, but in my 60 years of living, I understand that we also need acceptance.” Acceptance. How true. And no one knew this better than the women in the room.
You see, throughout the day, many of the women approached me to tell me about what God was doing in their lives: one woman had just lost her husband and was left to raise their three teenage sons; another had lost her daughter to a brain aneurysm just days before her wedding was to take place; another had two sons with severe disabilities; another was devastated that her thirty-year marriage was falling to pieces; another was lamenting that her grown children had left the Church. These women knew suffering. They were living it out everyday. Just as the women on my retreat knew suffering, so do many of the women in our ENDOW groups.
It is difficult to accept certain crosses that we are given, but we must make it an act of faith, trusting in God’s plan for our lives. Although we may not be able to answer the “whys” of such sufferings, we patiently wait to discover “how” God will use them for the good. We must find consolation in the trusting words of the prophet Isaiah: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts, says the Lord” (55:9).
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sisterhood
(I am honored to be a part of this blog, discussing the joy of being a Catholic woman. I hope to add to the great conversation by bringing my perspective as a young single Catholic woman. I look forward to growing in Faith with you.)
Sisterhood
By Jamie Gruber
“How to Get Him to Dump Her.” This was one of the recent headlines of a tabloid I noticed while standing in the supermarket line. I was not shocked that the world was promoting boyfriends over sisterhood. But as I talked with my girlfriends in the local Catholic young adult community, I realized we were not exempt from this mentality. We too have chosen to concern ourselves more with the potential of a romantic relationship, than friendship with each other.
By Jamie Gruber
“How to Get Him to Dump Her.” This was one of the recent headlines of a tabloid I noticed while standing in the supermarket line. I was not shocked that the world was promoting boyfriends over sisterhood. But as I talked with my girlfriends in the local Catholic young adult community, I realized we were not exempt from this mentality. We too have chosen to concern ourselves more with the potential of a romantic relationship, than friendship with each other.
One friend put it this way, “When I walk into a party filled with our Catholic friends, I feel a heightened tension between all the ladies. We each have tagged certain men ‘mine’. And so, we are in competition with each other, instead of in communion.” It seems it is easier for women to love men, because we receive the instant gratification of affection we so desire. Our desire to love men is good and from God, but when it trumps our call to sisterhood, then we should re-evaluate the way we look at our relationships. Our effort to love our sisters now will only add to the Graces of our future marriages.
ENDOW study groups have brought new meaning to the idea of sisterhood for young women. It allows for GIRL ONLY time and it enables us to relearn the virtues of loving and building each other up. A wise friend once told me that friendship with other women is essential to our feminine spirituality. When we spend this time together as sisters, we grow in prayer and learn to see how God loves us.
While meditating on the Joyful Mystery of The Visitation, I realized the model that Mother Mary has set for women. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth shows us our vocation as women to support and love each other first! Women are a beautiful half of the Body of Christ, and by being good sisters to one another, we are honoring our brothers in Christ.
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