Posted on 11/18/2008 4:05:41 AM PST by GonzoII
Yesterday, the Daily Blog featured a commentary inspired by Sunday’s Proverbs 31 Mass reading about the priceless value of a good woman.
Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the papal household preacher, offered some comments about the same Bible passage in this commentary published by Zenit.
Here’s what Father Cantalamessa had to say in praise of the feminine genius and what it offers contemporary society:
“The first reading invites us to reflect on a particular talent that is both natural and spiritual: the talent of femininity, the talent of being a woman. This reading contains the famous praise of women that begins with the words: ‘A perfect woman, who can find her?’ This praise, which is so beautiful, has one defect, which does not come from the inspiration but from the epoch in which it was written and the culture that it reflects. If we pay attention, we see that the praise has entirely to do with what the woman does for the man. Its implicit conclusion: Blessed is the man who has such a woman. She makes him nice clothes, brings honor to his house, allows him to hold his head high among his friends. I do not think women today would be enthusiastic about this laud.
“Putting this limitation aside, I would like to underscore the relevance of this praise of women. Everywhere there is the demand to make more room for women, to value the feminine genius. We do not believe that ‘the eternal feminine will save us.’ Daily experience shows that women can lift themselves up, but also that they can let themselves down. They also need Christ’s salvation. But it is certain that, once she is redeemed and ‘liberated’ by him, on the human level, from ancient subjections, she can help to save our society from some inveterate evils that threaten it: violence, will to power, spiritual aridity, scorn for life, etc.”
Concludes Father Cantalamessa, “After so many ages that took their name from man — from the ages of ‘homo erectus’ and ‘homo faber,’ to the age of ‘homo sapiens’ today, we might hope that there will finally come, for humanity, the age of woman: the age of the heart, of tenderness, of compassion. It was devotion to the Virgin that, in past centuries, inspired respect for women and their idealization in literature and art. The woman of today, too, can look to her as a model, friend and ally in defending the dignity and the talent of being a woman.”
— Tom McFeely
Don’t forget to pray for us, your brothers in Christ!
It is not men alone or women alone that are the perfection of God’s intent for the world. It is man and woman, each secure in his or her strengths, working together to be the best children of God which they can be. It is not a societally-defined role but a familial role—unique within each family—that defines a man and a woman as God intended. As someone once said, if it doesn’t require faith, it isn’t of God. What it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman was always intended to be a major effort at faith and walking with God day by day.
I have always been uncomfortable about some people believing women need to be singled out for special praise. A woman working with her Lord knows her worth and doesn’t need an extra pat on the head from others to assure her of it. It seems to me somewhat demeaning. I don’t mean to impugn the intents of those who praise women, but it seems to me to sound like “Oh, and you’re special too” type of statement compared to men.
“Oh, and you’re special too” type of statement.
Oh, I agree that women do have unique talents and strengths to add to the mix but I think it should be part of a celebration of the strengths of both men and women, not just women.
I agree with Father Cantalamessa, who is one of my favorite writers: Proverbs 31 drives me nuts. We should all keep in mind that it’s a prospective mother-in-law’s fantasy, and nothing more. Really, what single man ever said, “I don’t want a woman who’s cute, sweet, warm and snuggly ... I want one who works day and night on profitable handicrafts, and then makes a killing in real estate!”
I think the Holy Spirit “took that for granted”, so He didn't mention it. LOL!!
As Stasi Etheredge put it, “If her lamp never goes out, when does she have (personal relations with her husband)?” I know a lot of married couples (including my unFReeped husband and me), and I’ve never heard of a husband’s saying, “Oh, I don’t care about *that*, honey. I’d rather you subdivided some property or managed an apartment complex. Leave the light on, keep sewing!”
Now a mother-in-law might prefer that Pookie didn’t get too friendly with that other woman, anyway ...
Eldredge, I mean.
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