Spirit Matters: A reinforcement of the dignity of women

Saint Pope John Paul II was a man of keen intellect and deep insight into the nature of man and woman.

In 1960, as Karol Wojtyla, he wrote “Love and Responsibility,” a philosophical book about the human person, human sexuality, love and marriage. Those who have read it consider it somewhat “difficult” for the average reader, as it is intellectually complex. Likewise, his Theology of the Body explores the complementarity of man and woman.

In 1988, as pope, John Paul II wrote the encyclical “Mulieris Dignitatum,” in English “On the Dignity and Vocation of Women.” And in 1995, he wrote his “Letter to Women.” I have read both of these documents, and they are intensely nourishing for the feminine spirit.

This pope was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it is through that devotion that he came to know what he would later term the “feminine genius.” Although he was the leader of a church that still does not allow the ordination of women, and he, like the rest of us, was flawed, his insight into the spiritual nature of woman is second to none. Such is one of the many paradoxes of life.

To fully appreciate the various facets to John Paul’s recognition of the “feminine genius,” one must read the documents in their entirety, but that genius is broken down into four pillars: receptivity, sensitivity, generosity and maternity. There is no standard for the expression of these four pillars, as they manifest themselves in unique ways in each woman.

John Paul recognized that women in the modern world exercise their feminine genius in a multitude of ways, inside and outside the home and workplace. And it is good to note that his definition of maternity extends to spiritual motherhood. Even those who don’t bear children have a unique capacity to ‘mother’ the world into a more unified and peaceful state of being. Again, that mothering capacity will manifest itself uniquely in each woman.

John Paul’s insight into the spiritual nature of women is deeply refreshing – indeed, medicinal – when contrasted with the profoundly misogynistic and denigrating example of the president-elect and his circle of influence.

To be clear, last week’s Spirit Matters was an effort to illustrate from a woman’s perspective the vastly mysterious and intimate experience of a woman’s embodied spirituality. It was an attempt to illustrate the cycles she experiences within her being, which are invisible and silent to those outside of her, and known only to her.

And, in the end, it was a lamentation on women in this nation being subject to the governing authority of a conglomeration of profoundly misogynistic males, who demonstrate no respect for the deeply spiritual nature of the feminine person, and see her rather as an object for their use and disposal when they are done with her.

Despite some pushback, the response to that column was largely positive, and I received messages of gratitude from women and men, alike. There are many men out there who see the spiritual beauty in their wives and daughters, and shudder at the prospect of sexual predators having authoritarian power over the bodies and lives of the women they love.

Finally, I would be remiss to not remind readers that Jesus himself was profoundly respectful of women, and had the unique ability to see deep into their hearts and recognize their spiritual beauty. In some ways, he demonstrated this respect for women simply by interacting with them in a patriarchal society where they had few rights and were subject to the laws imposed on them by men.

But he took this further in the way he interacted with them, in their uniquely feminine experiences.

We see him heal the woman with the hemorrhage, who was prohibited from touching his cloak, because she was considered “unclean” by Jewish authorities. In deep faith, and in a crowd of people, she touched the tassel on his cloak and was healed by the power that went forth from his body. He knew it, and she knew it.

Jesus not only respected, but he healed women’s bodies. And in every encounter, Jesus demonstrated deep respect for each woman’s personhood.

When a group of religious authorities dragged a woman caught in adultery to the public square for stoning, Jesus told them the one without sin could cast the first stone. It is interesting to note that the religious authorities did not drag the man who was caught in adultery with her to the public square. I’m sure this didn’t escape Jesus’s notice either.

Mary Magdalene, who has gone down in history as ‘having a past,’ was one of Jesus’s most trusted and faithful disciples. In fact, she was so important to him, he appeared to her before anyone else, after he rose from the dead. She is the one that announced his resurrection to his other disciples. Were it not for her, the Christian church would not exist.

And finally, Jesus had such a deep respect for women, particularly his own mother, that he entrusted her to his disciple John at the cross, and John to her, thereby giving her to the rest of us for all time to love, honor and respect as our spiritual mother.

Jesus shows reverence for each and every woman in her entirety.

We should expect no less from the men in our lives, indeed, men everywhere.

SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column by Jerrilyn Zavada Novak that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact her at jzblue33@yahoo.com.