All women, mothers or not, have a special gift of receptivity to the human person
There is something about a woman’s beauty that is life-giving. The radiance of a bride on her wedding day becomes the loveliness of a new mother’s smile as she gazes at her infant. Our grandmothers are beautiful because of their loving hearts, which nurture ours. The beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary shines especially in her “yes” which brought the life and grace of Christ to us. And all women, married or not, and regardless of whether they have ever had children of their own, have a beautiful vocation to “spiritual motherhood.”
In May we celebrate Mother’s Day and the month of Mary. It is a great time to reflect on the beautiful, life-giving gift of femininity.
Certain strains of feminism have trained us women to reject motherhood, softness and feminine beauty as forms of weakness, obstacles to gaining equality with men. (Do I smell bras burning?) The recent movement of “new feminism,” however, affirms women’s equal dignity while also recognizing the unique capacity women have to be bearers of human life. As St. John Paul II wrote, “The moral and spiritual strength of a woman is joined to her awareness that God entrusts the human being to her in a
special way.” (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women 31)
Women have a special communion with the mystery of life, which allows us to be open to the other person and affirm their dignity in a particular way. A woman has “room for another” to grow within her very body, and all women, mothers or not, have a special gift of receptivity to the human person. This is an ability to recognize, respect, accept and love the other because of who they are, not because of their usefulness, strength, intelligence or health.
Modeling Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the perfect example of what is essentially feminine. She models active receptivity — accepting the gift of life and shaping it with the gift of herself. Where did Jesus get his poetic way with words? From his mother, who displayed her own poetic genius when she burst for joy singing the Magnificat. (Luke 1:46-55) Mary also models feminine strength standing at the foot of the cross. Her spiritual motherhood fostered the life of the early church, and it continues to nurture the life of grace in our souls.
In marriage, we may tend to forget what a beautiful gift femininity is. Only a woman can be a beloved bride, a life-giving mother. Many marriage experts note that in happy marriages, the sexual difference of masculinity and femininity is especially vibrant. When couples see themselves as bland, androgynous “partners,” co-managers of joint tasks, it is hard to remain excited and joyful. Bills, groceries, household management and “parenting” can suck the fun out of it all. But facing the same duties with womanliness and manliness at the fore makes them more fun, sexy and fruitful. How does a woman shop? How does she mother? How does a man shop?
How does he father? Very differently! Vive la différence!
Husbands, this Mother’s Day, let your wife know that she is beautiful and beloved. Let her know you appreciate all the ways she gives life and nurtures others. And wives? Believe him when he tells you that you are beautiful. Even if you have smooshed banana on your shirt from feeding the baby. Or your hair has turned gray in the decades that you have lived out the vows you made as a bride. He sees you more like God sees you: as beautiful, precious, and beloved.
And women everywhere, consider these words from St. John Paul II your personal Mother’s Day card from the church, honoring your spiritual motherhood:
“[T]he Church gives thanks for each and every woman: for mothers, for sisters, for wives; for women consecrated to God in virginity; for women dedicated to the many human beings who await the gratuitous love of another person; for women who watch over the human persons in the family … for women who work professionally, and who at times are burdened by a great social responsibility; for ‘perfect’ women and for ‘weak’ women — for all women as they have come forth from the heart of God in all the beauty and richness of their femininity.” (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women 31)
Originally posted on Northwest Catholic – May 2015