Women: Bearers of God’s miracle of life

A time comes to everyone when one reflectively asks “is this all there is to life?” Why, despite wealth and fame, one’s heart longs for something unexplainable? We look for meaning. Often, we grope for answers.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (p, 13-14) says that all men “are urged on by love of CHRIST to proclaim the Good News everywhere in the world… by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.” Each Christian is called to be a proclaimer, evangeliser of the goodness of GOD. To know and love GOD, this is our primary purpose and our vocation.

By GOD’s gracious design, women, as bearers of GOD’s miracle of life, has an important role to play. Often, the religious and priests say they became such, because of the piety of their mothers or grandmothers. St. Peter Julien Eymard’s mother brought him to her daily mass the day after His birth, and let him lie on a cushion-less bed on Fridays, to teach him to fast on comfort, while still a baby. He would be found many times lovingly embracing the blessed Eucharist in the altar as a young child. Like it or not, we “mold” our children by what we think, say and do. Thus, our children talk, dress, believe and live life the way we do.

As mothers, we proclaim GOD when our children see us

• pray: the rosary, when anxious, sick or angry;
• seek the sacraments, go to mass and confession, be sacramentally married;
• make the sign of the Cross reverently, in church, before meals, commuting;
• live simply, frugally – in food, wear, and things;
• share with the poor, not our excesses and left overs;
• be law abiding, be climate-change aware, segregating garbage, voting wisely;
• speak honestly and kindly, admitting to wrong, and be open to correction and knows how to correct;
• being a friend and not just a parent, taking time to listen and advise;
• spend time to know our Catholic faith to avoid being swayed and confused.

The list is endless as we allow The HOLY SPIRIT to lead us. 

As a daughter, respect and obedience to elders, dressing modestly, confessing to a priest and not to a friend, advising a pregnant friend not to abort her out-of-wedlock-child, help with the household chores, seeking parent’s opinion on difficult matters. All of these, and more, speak of GOD in us.

Once we ourselves enter into a relationship with GOD, GOD in us, HIMSELF, will speak to those HE brings into our lives. HIS peace will show, HIS goodness will spread. Then we continue to beg and hope that, eventually, we “show forth the image of GOD,” having been “transformed into the image of the FATHER’s only SON.” (CCC #1877, P. 513) 

There are TV contests where children candidates are asked “Anong gusto mong maging paglaki mo (What do you want to be when you grow up)? The mother usually, proudly beams, when her child answers intelligently “Gusto ko pong maging (I want to be) doctor/ nurse/ pilot/ lawyer!” (At 4 years old then, my own son was asked the same question while enrolling in school, he happily replied “Tarzan!” That disturbed me!).  

We are all meant and called to be saints, scriptures already addresses us so. We have been given the distinct honour to participate in everyone else’s salvation, or perdition. Let us look to Mother Mary, Who, “cooperated through free faith and obedience (LG 56)” uttering Her ‘yes’ in the name of all human race (St. Thomas Aquinas STh 111, 30, 1), aiding “the beginnings of the Church through Her prayers (LG 69/CCC #965, p.276).” Let us, through Mary’s intercession make saints of each other.

To GOD be all glory! (Bella A. Sarenas)