Pope Saint John Paul II used a mysterious phrase in his 1988 Apostolic Letter to women, titled Mulieris Dignitatem (the Dignity of Woman). He recognized “the Feminine Genius.”
What did he mean by this term?
The answer will go a long way toward quieting those who claim the Catholic Church is chauvinistic and oppressive towards women. The Polish Saint held in high honor the worth of women. He treasured them. If you doubt me, then click on the link above and read his writing.
Let us now explore his Apostolic Letter to women. We’ll discuss what he meant by “the Feminine Genius.” Afterwards, I welcome your remarks to the Pope’s beautiful words in the comments below.
THE FIRST MOTHER
Are you one of the few who can recall the first words recorded by the first mother in Scripture?
Genesis 4:1 reads, “The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.’”
This was Eve’s prayer, after bearing her first child.
“This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings—not only towards her own child, but every human being—which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.
Have you ever considered how Eve’s exclamation signifies the importance of women in eternal history?
In Mulieris Dignitatem, Saint Pope John Paul II invites us to ponder Eve’s prayer. By reflecting on this, hopefully each woman will realize motherhood is not to be avoided, but is a blessing from God unique to her nature.
The Polish Pontiff says Eve’s exclamation “expresses the woman’s joy and awareness that she is sharing in the great mystery of eternal generation” (#18).
Pope Saint John Paul the Great points out a simple, but rather profound reality: “The history of every human being passes through the threshold of a woman’s motherhood” (#19, emphasis added). He means that every human who makes it to heaven was first entrusted to an earthly mother.
Mothers assume a special responsibility to provide the daily necessities of all mankind, so that they can bring all people to their “definitive destiny… in the bosom of the ineffable Trinity,” says the late Bishop of Rome (#31). This means every diaper change, bath, and feeding has eternal value, in the eyes of God.
Pope Saint John Paul II says God counts on women to be the special caretakers of all His human creation, because they are well equipped. It is in caring for others, and not even necessarily as mothers that women realize this, their vocation (#30).
“This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings—not only towards her own child, but every human being—which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.
“It is commonly thought that women are more capable than men of paying attention to another person, and that motherhood develops this predisposition even more,” the saint commends women (#18, emphasis added).
WOMEN ARE GIVEN A HEAD START TO SANCTIFICATION
Women have a jump start on obtaining sanctification, by their very nature as caretakers. Both men and women are given free will by God to choose their own destiny. However, they “cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of self” (#18, emphasis added).
To sacrifice one’s own desires, and material means for the improvement of another person is what it means to love. As seen, women have a predisposition for this, putting them on the path to sainthood by their very nature.
Consider that no matter the circumstances of the conception of a child, God places His confidence in each mother to be the primary provider, especially for the child’s first nine months in the womb. Rather than seeing this as a burden, a mother’s recognition of this empowerment makes her “strong” and boosts her vocation (#30).
Becoming a mother intensifies and requires the need to give freely to another. By a woman’s unique openness to a new person, she is teaching mankind how to love.
This is the Feminine Genius: “In the Spirit of Christ, in fact, women can discover the entire meaning of their femininity and thus be disposed to making a ‘sincere gift of self’ to others, thereby finding themselves,” writes Pope Saint John Paul II (#31, emphasis added).
The Feminine Genius, thus, is the ability to make herself “a sincere gift of self” to others.
Although this applies directly to mothers, all women are called to be a gift to others. Think of Blessed Mother Teresa. She did not give birth to any biological children of her own. Yet, she gave away her time, talent and love to every person she came across. She lived out “the Feminine Genius” that Pope Saint John Paul the Great spoke about.
Going back to Scripture, Eve recognized the blessing of her firstborn son as coming from God, offering a short prayer (Gen 4:1). So too the New Eve (Mary) expressed her elation at the blessing of becoming the mother of her Son, the Savior, (Jesus) in a longer canticle (Lk 1:46-56).
In addition, Mary’s words at the Annunciation—“Let it be to me according to your word”—exemplify the openness to new life for all women (#18). All women ought to follow their lead in the excitement an openness to new life.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Motherhood is a tremendous blessing. Motherhood allows women to tap into and to grow their God-given natural ability to provide tender care to others in need, namely their children.
Mothers who faithfully carry out their daily duties for their children certainly grow in their vocation. As well, the Polish Pope states, mothers sanctify the world in the process.
After all, Jesus Himself said those who do the will of Father God are His mother, His brother, His family (Matt 12:48-50). Mary exemplified this docility to God’s will, and Christ uses her as the example for all mothers, and for everyone to follow.
Mary was the example of “the Feminine Genius,” par excellence. All women would do well to follow her model of being “a sincere gift of self” to all those she comes into contact.
YOUR TURN
What do you make of his definition of “the Feminine Genius” as “sincere gift of self?”
So, what other thoughts do you have on Mulieris Dignitatem?
Please share your thoughts below!
