The Woman to Woman Ministry’s International Women’s Day celebration took place yesterday afternoon at St. Bernadette’s and it was time of gathering to reflect and take stock of life at both the macro and micro levels. Learn new ways to get closer to Jesus and discern His will in our lives. And, celebrate life together as women of faith. Violence against women and girls is nothing new, and yet, it still remains a problem today. The statistics were horrifying. According to a UN study on women: ”At least one out of every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime.” And this is usually by someone she knows. For more, go to:
Why is it that in this age of so-called progress, of scientific and technological wonders, that human beings haven’t evolved to the point where a basic respect of the rights and dignity of the human person is present? Why is it that women continue to be the primary victims of child prostitution or labour, sexual exploitation, abuse in the home and human trafficking?
What are we doing wrong? Just last week, I read in the newspaper a case of several instances of incest in one family which were supported by the women in the home because they believed it was permissible. Then there was the recent case of a pregnant nine-year-old.
Jacinta Phoon, who was the keynote speaker gave further insight into abuse suffered by young women in Singapore today, and how girls thought of themselves based on the feedback they received from the environment around them. Instead of thinking of themselves as individuals with certain inalienable rights, many young women perceive themselves as objects and measured their self-worth accordingly.
Jacinta Phoon, who was the keynote speaker gave further insight into abuse suffered by young women in Singapore today, and how girls thought of themselves based on the feedback they received from the environment around them. Instead of thinking of themselves as individuals with certain inalienable rights, many young women perceive themselves as objects and measured their self-worth accordingly.
Are we, as women, doing enough to dispel the darkness around us? Or are we, sitting safe and sound in our homes, saying, “It’s not my problem”? Worse, do we buy into the rationalization and the relativism of the world around us and think, “There is no problem - that’s the way things are nowadays”?
Can we change the world where we are? “What difference can I make, as one solitary woman with all these responsibilities to shoulder?” “I have no time, nor the capability.” “This is beyond me. Only a higher authority can deal with the situation, not me.”
Lao Tzu said: "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." We can change the world by changing our world.
Begin by claiming our status as beloved daughters of God and the authority that comes with being woman created in the image and likeness of God. We need to believe in ourselves and love ourselves the way the Father loves us. Then, confident in His love, we can, in our own unique ways, make a difference to the people we come into contact with every day – family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, the elderly person who lives next door, the woman whom we buy vegetables from…
In Isaiah 1:17, we are exhorted to “learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow”. If each of us makes the conscious effort to seek Jesus in each other, be His body, His hands and His feet*, then each of us has the power to change the world.
* Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which to look at Christ's compassion to the world, yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." - St. Teresa of Avila
Lao Tzu said: "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." We can change the world by changing our world.
Begin by claiming our status as beloved daughters of God and the authority that comes with being woman created in the image and likeness of God. We need to believe in ourselves and love ourselves the way the Father loves us. Then, confident in His love, we can, in our own unique ways, make a difference to the people we come into contact with every day – family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, the elderly person who lives next door, the woman whom we buy vegetables from…
In Isaiah 1:17, we are exhorted to “learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow”. If each of us makes the conscious effort to seek Jesus in each other, be His body, His hands and His feet*, then each of us has the power to change the world.
* Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which to look at Christ's compassion to the world, yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." - St. Teresa of Avila
No comments:
Post a Comment