There is a wonderful line of women beginning in the Old Testament, continuing through Mary and on to today that teaches us a lot about the working of the Holy Spirit. Many women and men have said “yes” to God. God always prepares us perfectly for what will be God’s Will for us. There is no reason to fear, because “nothing is impossible to God.” (Luke 1:37)
Mary’s response, “Let it happen to me as you have said,” her “yes,” was the power need to transform the world. Our God has loved us from our mother’s womb, has kept us under the shadow of His wing, and only asks us for our “yes” to fulfill us and bring us joy.
Sr. Maria Iglesias, SC
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Elizabeth Seton came to appreciate more deeply the mysteries of the Incarnation by entering into Mary’s experience as Mother. She was deeply moved by the reality of Mary carrying Jesus in her womb for nine months, feeding him at her breast, holding him in her lap, playing with him as a toddler, teaching him what he needed to know growing up....
From her earliest years, Elizabeth was attracted to the image of God as Father. She always had a sense of God’s unconditional love for her. As she grew to recognize Mary as her heavenly Mother, these spiritual relationships became the models for her own parenting. They helped her to give uncompromising, self-forgetful love to her children, walking with them through each step of their lives, and blessing them with unconditional love as they pursued their own lives.
How often we have heard Mother Seton’s plea to us to “meet our grace.” In motherhood, Elizabeth met her grace in a most fulfilling way.
Sr. Charlotte Raftery, SC
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WomanGift is a journey through the years of all our being in times and places we've all known and forgotten. WomanGift is a telling of our painful giving birth to the child in us all who will lead us to the truth.
This is our prayer, Come now and join together and we'll be free. This is our hope, this is our dream -- to be the leaven in our world as we live WomanGift.
Hope Ridder, SCNY Associate
Scuplture:
Sr. Kathleen Aucoin, SC
