A woman holds a baby. PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK

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Liberation of humanity begins with the woman

What you need to know:

  • FYI. God’s plan of salvation for humanity becomes unintelligible, without a woman. As we celebrate women’s month, we ought to uphold the females with dignity, writes Msgr Wynand Katende. 

“Haail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:26).” At the dawn of God’s plan for human salvation, He raised up a liberated woman, called Mary of Nazareth. With her unrestrained yes she became the mother of Jesus, the Savior of humanity. 

I wish to, belatedly, celebrate the International Women’s day. We appreciate all efforts being made by different stakeholders in the liberation movement of women. Every celebration bears lessons for the way forward. Some women emancipation activists, are very likely to be part of the problem rather than the solution.

They, in the name human rights, ended up demeaning females. They go to the extent of discouraging women from their God-given motherly vocation and complimentary role to the male sex.

Modern culture presents the female as a biological entity only. The female body is connected to the sexual as a means of instructing women how to obtain power, how to engage in pleasure, how to secure beauty, or how to preserve their physique.

As a result, a subjective sexual self is considered by many women to be the totality of the female nature. The public media, TV, films, and the Internet, generally depicts the woman as a what  rather than a  who.  

True liberation of women resides in God the creator. 
“God created man; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27). It is from this truth that a woman’s dignity and vocation emerge.  Female, like the male, is a  unique, rational and free-willed human being. Since fallen nature cannot redeem itself, believers must endeavour to liberate women the way of God. 

God’s plan of salvation for humanity becomes unintelligible, without a woman. Women’s liberation, was foretold when God said to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; they will crush your head, and you will strike their heel” (Genesis 3:15). 

God is pointing forward to the defeat of the serpent, Satan, by the future descendant of “the woman” (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). 

Mother of all living
Just as a woman made possible the first sin, so too a woman would make possible the work of our salvation. So it is prophetic that Adam names Eve, meaning “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). In Adam, God graciously proclaims that the woman’s offspring will redeem humanity from sin’s tyranny. 

This seed of hope comes to fruition in Jesus Christ: “When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). As Eve was the cause of sin by her disobedience, Mary is the cause of salvation through her faith and obedience, and by cooperating with Christ in His mission (Luke 1:38). Mary is the Mother of Christ, who is the life for all (John 14:6). In Christ women enjoy equality, freedom of conscience and association, like men (Galatians 3:28). 

When the Angel Gabriel greeted Mary: “Hail full of grace”, he indicated her freedom from the defect of original sin, committed by our first parents (Luke 1:28). In Mary, God wanted His sinless Son to receive His human nature from a sinless mother. Throughout her life God preserved Mary from committing any actual sin, so to be able to raise Jesus. The liberation of Mary meant everyone’s liberation.

As collaborator in the mission of human redemption, Mary was, remarkably, present at the major events in the life of Jesus, including His death on Calvary (John 19:26). During the Cana wedding, Mary invites humanity to put steadfast faith in Jesus for transformation of humanity: “Do whatever He tells you to do.” (John:2:3). 

Mary is highly honoured in Islam. The Koran III:42 states: “O Mary! God has chosen you and purified you and again He has chosen you above all women of all nations of the worlds”. Muslim women look upon her as a role model of faith in God. 

In her thanksgiving prayer to God for her vocation, Mary boldly states: “All generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). She is at the centre of women’s liberation and human salvation. A truly liberated woman is the glory of God and of humanity.

Did you know?
Genesis 1:27). It is from this truth that a woman’s dignity and vocation emerge. Female, like the male, is a a unique, rational and free-willed human being. Since fallen nature cannot redeem itself, believers must endeavor to liberate women the way of God.