I FIND it fitting to highlight the women in the Bible as the International Women’s Month comes to a close with the observance of Holy Week.
Who are these women? Lydia was one of the first converts to Christianity; Phoebe was a deacon of the church who chose to support the work of the Lord together with Paul and Mary; the women who witnessed the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and several others at a time when women were not allowed to be witnesses in the legal sense. Their testimony was not considered credible.
There are many strong women in the Bible who depended on God more than themselves. Some had to lie to save others, broke tradition to do the right thing. Did great deeds, guided by God as recorded in the Bible to be read and be inspired by.
At the passion of Jesus Christ, one silent woman, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the person most in pain. Second to Jesus and yet, she chose to endure everything quietly and allowed her Son to fulfill God’s mission to save mankind.
Mary in her earthly life did wondrous deeds that are worth emulating. She did not flaunt her Son’s power when Jesus converted water into wine. She held no press conference and cried foul when Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. With all humility, she accepted the burial site given to her and did not demand that her Son be given a hero’s burial. Mother Mary’s life on Earth was so humane and yet it was her divinity that made her, at times, the center of our Christian faith. She must have empowered women that turned our society to be matriarchal.
All things considered, with women now scriptwriters, directors and producers in an industry that has influence in our young, perhaps we can now see some change and expect more decent shows.
Let us veer away from projecting women as sex symbols and as stereotype subjects like in love triangles or women as home wreckers.
Prior to the pandemic, women were obsessed with cosmetics. Beauty products flooded our market. Enhancement was the main objective. Now that we are compelled under this pandemic to wear mask and shield, we are awakened to the realization that we have other priorities in life that are more important.
I have been consistent in my position that I will never change course midstream. There are those who would try to invite me to join “born again” groups. I would politely turn down the invitation as I still firmly believe in the intercessory power of Mother Mary.