Since 1911, globally people have been celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8th. It’s “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.”
Meet Some Inspiring Women
At the BeLoved’s service last week, we featured a few different women who have made the world a much better place.
Susanna, from the Book of Daniel
Do you know the story of Susanna, from the Book of Daniel, in the Hebrew Scriptures? She was willing to die for her faith in YHWH. We watched this overview of her story.
Julia Greeley- “Denver’s Angel of Charity”
Julia was born enslaved. When she was a child, while her master was whipping her mother, the tip of the whip touched Julia’s eye leaving her blinded in one eye. As an adult, Julia was emancipated. She worked in white people’s homes across multiple states, spending most of her time in Denver. Whatever excess she had, she would bring to others - including firefighters. She used a little red wagon to pull her goods and usually did so under the stars of night in order to protect the dignity of the recipients. Julia went to Mass daily, prayed the Rosary regularly and was devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Julia was called “a one-woman St. Vincent DePaul society.” Julia Greeley did what she had the power to do; she did what God put on her heart to do. She enriched so many lives - week by week!
Watch Rev. AndreaGrace's Reflection
Watch Rev. AndreaGrace's reflection or read it below.
Rosa Parks - Civil Rights Activtist
Recently, I, Rev. AndreaGrace, watched the Rosa Parks movie: The Ride to Freedom. It showcased the years leading up to and during the boycott. There were also many flashbacks to her childhood - to scenes that prepared her and forecasted her courageous act. In one poignant scene, Rosa is sharing her broken heart with her mom. Rosa’s action of not giving up her seat on the bus was driving a wedge between her and her beloved husband whom she called “Parks.” She is telling her mom that she regrets her decision and wondering if she should have done differently. Her mom wisely says: “Knowing what you do now, you would still do exactly the same thing, because you can’t help yourself. You would do it because that’s who you are, Rosie. I thank God, Rosie, that’s who you are.”
“You would do it because that’s who you are…. I thank God for who you are.”
When I, Rev. AndreaGrace, look around at each beautiful face in our community, I thank God for you. I see you. As Rev. Ron Hindelang says, and I'm paraphrasing: "Each of us is a bright light in God’s kaleidoscope." Each of us has different God-given talents, with different issues that stir our hearts, that move us to action. Each of us has different ways we carry out God’s will - acting with kindness, justice, integrity, generosity. Each of us is doing good in our little neck of the world - as Jesus taught about in the parable. We shall be known by the fruit we bear.
Let’s look at a slide of the Fruit of the Spirit that St. Paul writes about. Which of these do you see in yourself? Which of these do you see in other members of our community?
Corrie ten Boom - Protector of Jewish People during WWII, Holocaust Survivor and Healer
Corrie ten Boom and her family were devout Christians living quietly bearing much of this fruit in their little community of Haarlem in the northern part of the Netherlands in the early 1900s. Her dad, Casper, was a watchmaker. They lived in a three-story row-house with the store on the street level. When her aunts moved in, her family bought the row-house next door and punched through. When Corrie’s mom, Cornelia, became sick, Corrie began working in the shop - displaying a keen business sense that helped the business prosper. Corrie became the first female licensed watchmaker in the Netherlands. She was engaged to a man whose family rejected Corrie because she wasn’t “good enough.” When Corrie was speaking to her dad about her broken heart, he encouraged her to fill that space with love. Later, she would summarize this wisdom as:
When the Nazi’s began rising to power, there was an orphanage with a hundred Jewish babies. Corrie’s brother brought the babies to their family’s home until they could be placed with protective families. Then, her family began taking in Jewish adults - hiding them in the maze of these two row-houses. Eventually, the family was turned into the Nazis and sent to different concentration camps. Thankfully Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were sent to the same camp. There, they did what they could do to help people, including encouraging them and teaching Bible classes. Eventually, Corrie was freed. She spent the rest of her life sharing her story and working for reconciliation with former Nazi soldiers. You can read her many books or watch the film about her life entitled: The Hiding Place.
Corrie wrote:
In the stories of Julia Greeley, Susanna, Rosa Parks and Corrie ten Boom, we see both nature and nurture. By nature, God created each of these women with specific gifts and inclinations that drew them to certain situations and patterns. By nurture, we see how during their childhood, they were encouraged and taught in these ways. As they grew up and matured as adults, they continued to learn and do… and network in ways that were unique to them AND part of the beautiful unique tapestries of their lives. We see over and over how as we proclaimed in the psalm, On the day they called, God answered them. God increased the strength of their spirit.
Like these courageous women, each of us has unique opportunities to carry out God’s will in unique ways. We are prepared naturally. We have been nurtured and we continue to nurture. We probably won’t be put to death for our faith, but we can be like Julia Greeley who rejoiced in the seemingly small things that we can do to make the world a better place.
As Mother Teresa of Calcutta taught:
Let's Pray:
Oh Divine Weaver
who placed us in this world
in a specific family
at a specific time
with specific gifts and inclinations.
We thank You!
Please show us what is our to do today.
What can we do to make the world a better place?
Please help us trust that you have prepared us.
Please help us trust that you will provide the resources. We hope and trust in you.
Amen. Ameen. Ashay and So it is!
I AM Willing
What are you willing to do? Does this song "I AM Willing" inspire you? Click to hear this powerful song
PS - Please forward this to the inspiring women in your life and the people who wupport you!
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