Beginning of the homily
Dignity of the Woman
The Holy Father
mentions two important points in the life of man in which the woman carries out
her unique and special role: creation and Redemption. The maternity and
sanctity of life of the woman-mother are of incalculable importance with
respect to the human soul.
- Without the sincere gift of self; without the gift of her feminine body and her maternal, generous, and kind soul, the birth of man into the light of this world would not exist. Thus, the family is founded in the womb of the woman.
- The woman-mother has the role of educator in life. With her example of surrender, of maternal love, of physical and psychological sacrifice, she must lead not only her children but also in a wider sense all of her surrounding society towards a more humane mode of living. A woman’s education of her children is of great importance in the Church.
- In the homily for the beatification of Isidore Bakaria, Elisabetta Canori Mora, and Gianna Beretta Molla, the Pope indicates the necessary elements for day-to-day maternity: heroism marked by the values of fidelity, chastity, and sacrifice. In addition, he thanks Christian mothers for following the way of God in their vocation as mother: “this daily heroism is also the silent but effective and eloquent witness of all those ‘brave mothers who devote themselves to their own family without reserve, who suffer in giving birth to their children and who are ready to make any effort, to face any sacrifice, in order to pass on to them the best of themselves.’[1] In living out their mission ‘these heroic women do not always find support in the world around them. On the contrary, the cultural models frequently promoted and broadcast by the media do not encourage motherhood. In the name of progress and modernity the values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice, to which a host of Christian wives and mothers have borne and continue to bear outstanding witness, are presented as obsolete ... We thank you, heroic mothers, for your invincible love! We thank you for your intrepid trust in God and in his love. We thank you for the sacrifice of your life ... In the Paschal Mystery, Christ restores to you the gift you gave him. Indeed, he has the power to give you back the life you gave him as an offering.’”[2]
- The woman then, by her physical state of motherhood and with the disposition of her soul towards maternity, has the specific role of protector of life. If she is not willing to give birth, life does not exist. For this reason the Pope makes a strong appeal, “A radical solidarity with women requires that the underlying causes which make a child unwanted be addressed. There will never be justice, including equality, development and peace, for women or for men, unless there is an unfailing determination to respect, protect, love and serve life – every human life, at every stage and in every situation (cf. Evangelium Vitae, 5 and 87).”[3]
Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela, IVE
[1] John Paul II, Homily for the
Beatification of Isidore Bakanja, Elisabetta Canori Mora and Gianna Beretta
Molla (24 April 1994): L'Osservatore Romano, 25-26 April 1994, 5
[2] John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, n. 86.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae.html#%2434
[3] Letter of His Holiness John
Paul II to Mrs. Gertrude Mongella Secretary General of the Fourth World
Conference on Women on the United Nations.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/letters/1995/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_19950526_mongella-pechino.html.
