Celebrating women

Tonight, the local Parish Council of the Catholic Women's League celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their founding.  Marking this milestone, I prepared the following reflection for the Mass that was celebrated: an act of faith by women and men of faith.

60 Years for God and Country

Tonight, we mark a significant milestone in the life of our parish: for sixty years, women in this parish, part of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, have given generously of themselves and shared their talents and gifts with this faith community.  Each one of them has done so for the sake of her faith, as a response to the gift of love that has been offered by our God.

I find it interesting that the scriptures proposed for this week’s gathering of the faithful provide us with two images of women.  In biblical times, widows were very fragile figures.  Women did not work outside the home, so their material existence was entirely dependent on men - their husbands, their sons or other members of their extended families - who were the family breadwinners.  If a woman was widowed, she would have to rely on her relatives to provide for her physical needs, but this did not mean that she was powerless: far from it.

The widow of Zarephath, spoken of in the reading from the first Book of Kings appears to be very practical.  Elijah encounters her at the gate of the town, where she is gathering sticks (1 Kings 17:10).  When he asks her to prepare something for him to eat, she states her case plainly: I have only a handful of meal … and a little oil … I am gathering sticks so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat (1 Kings 17:12).

The gospel speaks of another widow who is seen by Jesus in the Temple.  She may have been known to many of those who were there that day.  I would hope that some of them would have been concerned for her, but it appears that she was part of a long line of people who were dropping coins into the treasury: offering what she had out of faith and trust.  Seeing her act of faith, Jesus said: this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury, for she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had (Mk 12:44).

For six decades, women of this parish have lived their faith. They have fed not only their own children but many others who have been part of this faith community.  In so many ways, they have given example of the joy of being disciples so that from them, others have learned valuable lessons: lessons about being practical about how we live lives, lessons about facing life’s challenges and finding solutions, lessons about faith and trusting that God will always care for his beloved children.

Tonight, we give thanks for all the women who have paved the way for us by their willingness to give.  The widow’s mite did not appear to be much when compared with the vast treasures being contributed by others, yet in Jesus’ eyes, she gave more than any of them, since she gave everything she had.

As we give thanks for the work of wonderful women of this parish, for their commitment to the values of life, justice and truth, let us also ask Our Lady of Good Counsel to help us respond in faith to the invitation of the Lord: to give generously of ourselves and to share our talents and gifts in service of our brothers and sisters, even if it should mean that we must give everything we have.