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All Scripture texts from the New and Old Testaments are taken from Revised
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of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America, unless otherwise noted. Used by permission.
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2
FEMININE GENIUS
Pope St. John Paul II spent considerable time exploring this genius.
As a pastor, who no doubt spent many hours counseling women
and hearing their stories in the confessional, he had a particular
insight into the female heart. From his experience and reflection
on the Scriptures, Pope St. John Paul II wrote a letter specifically
about women: Mulieris Dignitatem, on the dignity and the vocation
of women. In it, he noted the particular genius of femininity, God’s
beautiful design for women, and their essential contribution to the
world.
However, even with this great calling, we know, perhaps all too well,
that there is much debate and even confusion in our culture over our
role. Are we the same as men? Is our role somehow inferior? What is
our place in the Church, the family, and society? These questions have
2
been vigorously debated, and differing trends have emerged, not all
of them good.
Our hope is that this Bible study will allow us to rediscover the
greatness to which we are called and encourage us to embrace it.
Using the writings of Pope St. John Paul II, the Scriptures, and various
other female writers, this study explores God’s original plan for us,
how that plan has been derailed, but also how it has been restored in
Jesus Christ. It then explores our unique dignity, our receptivity and
capacity for others, and our indispensable role in society. The study
also addresses some of the challenges involved in living out this call
and offers some practical direction for living out this vocation.
3
Introduction
At the same time, you are not left alone to understand the Scriptures
by yourself. Each chapter will contain a section titled “What Do I Need
to Know about This Passage?” It will provide you with details about
the passage, along with summaries about the passage’s big picture,
how it applies to Jesus, and how it can apply to your group.
UNDERSTANDING
DISCUSSION
4
How to Prepare Your Study
With all of this information at your disposal, you are all set and
ready to go. You just need to pass out the notes, ask each question
as it is written, and read the answers to the questions, right? Well,
not exactly. It would not make for a very engaging Bible study. This
material is a Bible study in a can: It is meant to preserve good-quality
Biblical content and allow for a broad distribution, but someone still
needs to take the material out of the can, spice up the content, and
serve it to your study. That person is you.
This is where the audience for your study is crucial; these are the
people for whom you are “cooking.” Whether you have a group that
has never heard the Gospel before or a group that attempts to live
out the Gospel each day, you can adapt the Bible study to the group.
The flexibility of this format is what can make it so effective.
Most likely, however, you will have a group with both kinds of people.
Try to create a Bible study where beginners can learn the basics while
the experts can be rejuvenated. Scripture is a great way to do this. St.
Gregory the Great once said, “Holy Scripture is a stream in which the
elephant may swim and the lamb may wade.” Both groups should be
able to discover something meaningful in the Scripture passage.
For more on How to Lead a Bible study, check out our resource
on FOCUSEquip.org. As a review, FOCUS Bible study leaders have
3 roles and 3 goals in each study.
5
Introduction
6
1. Deep Transformation: Through interaction with God’s word
and one another, it is our hope that the lives of your Bible
study members will be profoundly changed. The purpose of
a Bible study is not to simply learn information or to be a
part of a Bible study club, but allow the Lord to transform our
lives. Specifically, we hope that students, through Scripture,
are drawn more intimately to our Lord in the sacraments
and liturgy of the Church where they can most fully receive
the gift of God’s grace in their lives.
Final Note
One of the best ways to learn how to lead a Bible Study is to learn from
others. Consider observing someone else’s Bible study to learn how
they have been successful. Also, ask a missionary or your discipler
to come to your study and give you feedback on how you are doing.
7
Introduction
The Challenge
To properly lead this study, you will need to prepare in advance and
apply God’s word in your own life.
8
NOTES
9
NOTES
10
Chapter 1
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 12 - 17
DISCUSSION
Pages 18 - 24
11
Understanding / The Original Plan
UNDERSTANDING
Pope John Paul II, Message for the XXVIII World Day of Peace: “Women, Teachers of Peace”
1
12
A Communion of Love (Genesis 1:26–31)
God said, “Let us make man in our image.” Have you ever noticed
that He uses the plural “us” and “our”? Why is there a plural reference
to God in verse 26 (“our”), and then a singular reference in verse 27
(“His”)? These verses give us a glimpse into the inner life of God. God
is a Trinity—one God (i.e., “His”) in three divine persons (i.e., “our”). He
is a union, or communion, of persons.
We all know the Scripture verse “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8), and the
Catechism of the Catholic Church gives us a beautiful explanation
of what this means and how it affects us: “God himself is an eternal
exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us
to share in that exchange” (CCC 221). This “eternal exchange of love”
of the Trinity flows from God the Father: God makes a total gift of
Himself (because God is love, and love gives itself freely), and this gift
begets the Son. The Son, seeing the total gift of the Father, responds
by making a total gift of Himself in return. The love between them is
itself the person of the Holy Spirit.
If both men and women are created in the image and likeness of God,
a few things are then true: In addition to possessing equal dignity
and the gifts of reason and will, it also means that we are designed to
imitate the Trinity’s communion of love and self-giving.
In this second account, Eve is not on the scene at first: God creates
Adam and then announces, “It is not good that the man should be
13
Understanding / The Original Plan
alone; I will make a helper fit for him.” But God’s next move is to
create the animals and have Adam name them. This may seem like a
strange task, but it helps Adam to realize something about himself:
Even after seeing and naming all of the animals, Adam is left feeling
alone because “there was not found a helper fit for him.” Adam was
not made simply to till the garden and rule over the animals. There
is still something missing.
And what does Adam think of God’s new creation? “At last!” he
proclaims. He immediately recognizes this being as “flesh of his flesh
and bone of his bone,” and for this reason, she is called “woman.”
Adam is euphoric. You can almost hear him gasp in awe as he
recognizes what a great companion God has created—not only
beautiful, but someone who is like him. Eve is different from all other
creatures that Adam has so far encountered, in part because, like
him, she is a human person who can give and receive love. In Adam’s
eyes, even her very body speaks to this ability to give and receive
love in a way that complements his. His body speaks the same to
her.
14
the man can unite himself, becoming with her ‘one flesh’ and for this
reason leaving ‘his father and his mother’ (Gen 2:24).”2 Physically and
spiritually, man and woman are not the same but instead complement
each other. Together they express the fullness of humanity.
Application to Jesus
God the Father sent the Son, the second person of the Trinity, to earth
to show us the ultimate example of self-giving love in Jesus’ death on
the cross.
Trinitarian Love
Before woman was created, Adam was limited in his capacity to image
the Trinity and give of himself in love to another human person. As the
Second Vatican Council reminds us, “Man, who is the only creature on
earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through
a sincere gift of himself.”3 After Eve is created, Adam recognizes her as a
perfect recipient for his gift of self. “At last,” someone of his nature whom
he can love, and from whom he can receive love in return. Even their
physical communion images the Trinity: As the love between the Father
and Son begets another divine person (the Holy Spirit), the physical love
between a man and woman has the potential to create another human
person. By experiencing this physical and spiritual exchange of love in
marriage, men and women can more perfectly know, understand, and
experience the love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem [Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women], 6.
2
Vatican Council II, “Gaudium et Spes [Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern
3
World],” 24.
15
Understanding / The Original Plan
16
NOTES
17
Discussion / The Original Plan
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
Share with the group a situation in which you thought you were doing
everything right or were on the right track, only to discover that you
hadn’t been given the right directions or instructions to begin with.
STEP 2: BACKDROP
Whenever we want to know whether we are doing something right,
we need to go back to the original design or instructions. In terms
of what it means to be a human being, this is what the beginning
of the book of Genesis is all about. Through figurative language and
metaphorical explanations of actual events, the author gives us deep
insights into the big questions of life, including what it means to be
male and female.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
Read Genesis 1:26–31, 2:7–8, 15–25.
18
Exploration: Questions and Answers
19
Discussion / The Original Plan
7. How does the world try and mislead us, as women, about what
we really need to be complete? Which messages are particularly
enticing to you personally?
Allow the group to discuss.
20
8. How do you feel about Eve being created from Adam (or,
more specifically, his rib)?
This could elicit a host of responses, some positive and some negative.
Allow the group to discuss. Share St. Thomas Aquinas’s insight into this
passage, found in the “Helpmates” section of “What do I need to know
about this passage?,” as one possible explanation.
21
Discussion / The Original Plan
14. How does the physical union of a man and woman in marriage
help each to understand the Trinity better?
Through their union, they can better understand God as a communion
of persons in love. Also, just as the love between the Father and Son itself
begets another divine person (the Holy Spirit), so the physical communion
between a man and a woman has the potential to participate in the
creation of another human person.
22
NOTES
23
NOTES
24
Chapter 2
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 26 - 31
DISCUSSION
Pages 32 - 38
25
Understanding / The Plan Derailed
UNDERSTANDING
26
Review Genesis 2:15–17. In this passage, God’s generosity shines
through, giving Adam free reign over nearly every tree in the garden.
There is just one tree, though, from which He forbids Adam to eat.
Let’s fast-forward now to Genesis 3.
By this time Eve is on the scene, and an infamous character now joins
her. Look carefully at what the serpent says: He twists God’s words
and leads Eve to disbelieve God’s goodness. God did not say that they
could not eat of the fruit of any tree of the garden; in fact, he said that
they could eat of every tree, except one. He also didn’t say anything
about touching it. The devil’s lies shrewdly contradict what God told
Adam. Eve believes him and begins to lose trust in her Creator.
Can’t we see this so often in our own lives and sins? We disbelieve
that God is a generous, provident Father who has our best interest
in mind, and instead we grasp at what we think we need, rather than
being receptive and letting God provide.
The Protector
What about Adam? Where was he when the serpent approached Eve?
We know from Genesis 2:16 that God gave Adam the command to “till
and keep” the garden. The Hebrew word for “keep” is shamar, which
can be translated as “protect.” In her Bible Study Courageous Love,
Stacy Mitch states, “The words ‘till and keep’ literally refer to Adam’s
responsibility to cultivate and guard the garden and its contents. He
shirked his responsibility to guard his wife by allowing the serpent, a
malicious intruder, to interrogate his wife and allure her to sin.”5
5
Stacy Mitch, Courageous Love: A Bible Study on Holiness for Women (Steubenville: Emmaus
Road Publishing, 1999), 93–94.
27
Understanding / The Plan Derailed
Note that Adam and Eve committed the first sin together. John Paul II
explains that, even though Adam and Eve had different roles in the
first sin, “that first sin is the sin of man, created by God as male and
female.”6
After Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the forbidden tree, they hide
from God, who comes to look for them in the garden. When God finds
them, He addresses Adam first: God gave Adam the command not to
eat the fruit, and Adam is the head of the human race. As the first man,
Adam represents all of humanity—and so we begin to see how all of
mankind is affected by sin.
Application to Jesus
6
Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Woman, Mulieris Dignitatem
(MD) (Rome: Vatican, 1988), 9 (emphasis in the original).
28
Man and Woman After the Fall
Instead of man and woman existing as a gift for the other, they now
seek their own interests. The differences between them, which once
inspired wonder and communion, now breed misunderstanding,
tension, and selfish use of the other.
Similarly, we can see the effects of the man’s curse of “lust and
domination” in such things as pornography, promiscuous sex, sexual
abuse, and rape. For both men and women, it is only when their
foremost desire is for God that they will find fulfillment, as He is the
only one who will truly satisfy all our longings.
29
Understanding / The Plan Derailed
Can you imagine what it would have been like before relationships
between men and women were subject to lust, domination, and
unhealthy attachment? What is one thing you can do to make your
relationships with men correspond more to God’s original plan?
30
NOTES
31
Discussion / The Plan Derailed
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
Bring a few magazines to the study (Cosmo, Maxim, Seventeen, etc.)
and ask the women to look through them and pick out one or two
articles or images that might illustrate the disorder and problems that
exist in male/female relationships today.
STEP 2: BACKDROP
Last time, we read about the creation of man and woman. We learned
that they were created as complementary persons with equal dignity,
and that a man and woman living in a communion of love are an
image of the inner life of the Trinity. Our experience, though, tells us
that, when it comes to the relationships between men and women,
things have not turned out the way God planned. We can think of
many instances where a woman’s dignity is ignored, or where we can
see deep wounds caused by the way the two sexes selfishly treat each
other. Today, we’re going to look at the third chapter of Genesis to
find out why this is so and delve into how it affects us right now.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
Read Genesis 3:1–19. To begin, let’s refresh our memories about one
part of God’s original plan.
32
STEP 4: EXPLORATION: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Note that answers appear in italics.
33
Discussion / The Plan Derailed
6. Jesus tells us that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). What
are the lies that we, as women, hear and believe from the devil?
Allow the group to discuss. Some answers could likely be: I’m not enough:
pretty enough, smart enough, skinny enough, etc. Or, I’m too much: too
emotional, broken, serious, loud, etc. Or perhaps that we have to have
it all to be happy: good grades, a career and family, an active social life,
a multitude of talents—putting emphasis on “having” (grades, success,
boyfriend, etc.) versus “holiness.”
34
Read Genesis 3:8–19.
9. After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, whom does God address first?
What is significant about this?
God addresses Adam first, which is fitting: God gave Adam the command
not to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam is
also the head of the human race, and since he is the first man, he is the
representative for humanity.
10. What are the curses that God describes for Adam and Eve after
they have eaten the fruit?
For Adam, his work will be difficult and full of toil. For Eve, her childbirth
will be painful, and her relationship with her husband will be full of tension.
11. The Catechism says that, after the fall, “the union of man and
woman becomes subject to tensions, their relations henceforth
marked by lust and domination” (CCC 400). How have you seen
this double problem of “lust and domination” in relationships
between men and women?
Allow the group to discuss.
12. At first glance, it seems like a good thing for a woman to desire
her husband, but how could it actually be sinful or broken?
Women can become preoccupied with and motivated by getting men’s
attention. Think of the saying, “Men use love to get sex, and women use sex
to get love.” A woman’s desire to be loved can lead her to either manipulate
a man or to settle for being used.
35
Discussion / The Plan Derailed
16. The Catechism describes Adam and Eve’s sin as such: “Man,
tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his
heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God’s command….
All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and
lack of trust in his goodness” (CCC 397). How are your sins a
manifestation of a lack of trust in God’s goodness?
Allow the group to discuss.
36
NOTES
37
NOTES
38
Chapter 3
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 40 - 45
DISCUSSION
Pages 46 - 50
39
Understanding / Jesus Confirms Our Dignity
UNDERSTANDING
In the last chapter we learned about the Fall of Adam and Eve,
and how their sin ushered tensions and misunderstandings into
the relationships between men and women. Throughout history,
women have been particularly affected by this great disruption of
God’s original plan in the form of discrimination. Commenting on a
particular scene in Jesus’ life when He encounters a woman about to
be stoned for adultery, Pope John Paul II points out that it represents
“the concrete and historical situation of women, a situation which is
weighed down by the inheritance of sin. One of the ways in which this
inheritance is expressed is habitual discrimination against women in
favor of men.”8
Perhaps the last chapter (and your own experience) left you feeling
discouraged and hopeless about the possibility of overcoming the
40
problem of “lust and domination.” If so, read on, because there is
certainly hope!
Even in the midst of our disobedience, God does not abandon us.
Instead, He Himself becomes our Savior in the person of Jesus
Christ. The remarkable thing is that He came not only to restore our
relationship with Him, but also our relationships with one another.
Jesus’ triumph over Satan was accomplished not only in His death on
the cross but in His daily interactions with those around Him, and the
example these interactions give us for honoring the dignity of others.
Jesus’ own life shows us specifically “what the reality of Redemption
means for the dignity and vocation of women.”9
During His lifetime, Jesus caused quite a stir by the way He treated
women. In Mulieris Dignitatem, Pope John Paul II meditates on Jesus’
interaction with women during His time on earth:
8
Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women, Mulieris Dignitatem
(MD) (Rome: Vatican, 1988),14.
Ibid., 12.
9
41
10
Ibid.
Understanding / Jesus Confirms Our Dignity
Having had five husbands (and the current one who is not a husband),
the woman has been on a search for love—presumably having used
or having been used by some of these men, looking to them to satisfy
a thirst that only God can quench. Jesus knows her sins, but He also
Ibid., 13.
12
Ibid., 15.
13
42
knows her dignity and potential for holiness. John Paul II says,
Application to Jesus
During His public ministry, Jesus reveals to women some of the most
profound truths about His identity and mission.
After recalling her sin, Jesus does not leave the woman without hope,
instead revealing to her the cure for her wound: Himself. He says,
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the
water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling
up to eternal life” (Jn 4:14). Finally, Jesus reveals to her the answer to
the mystery of His identity: He is the Messiah, the one for whom she
has been waiting. She, a woman, is the first person in this Gospel with
whom Jesus shares this revelation! She is then given the privilege of
being the catalyst for the conversion of her village.
43
Understanding / Jesus Confirms Our Dignity
Jesus brings redemption to the tensions that exist within men and
women’s relationships. His encounters with women all give witness
to a woman’s true dignity. As an answer to men’s inclination to
dominate, Jesus shows that women are created with an equal dignity
and deserve equal treatment and respect. In response to a woman’s
tendency to have a disordered desire for a man, Jesus teaches that
relationships with men will not totally fulfill us. Even within the
best of relationships, both men and women will still be thirsting for
something deeper. God is the only one who will quench that thirst.
Jesus desires to speak to us, too, to the depths of our soul and life. Are
we afraid of this conversation?
Ibid., 16.
15
44
NOTES
45
Discussion / Jesus Confirms Our Dignity
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
Can you think of a couple whose relationship you really admire? What
is it about that relationship that inspires you?
STEP 2: BACKDROP
Though our first parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and, through
their disobedience, caused discord and selfishness to enter into
relationships between men and women, God, in His goodness, did not
abandon us. Instead, He became human to redeem us and restore
order to these relationships. In this chapter, we will look at Jesus’
interactions with women in the Gospels to see how He witnesses to
our dignity and shows us our true path to happiness.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
Read John 4:1–42.
46
Exploration: Questions and Answers
1. Why might this Gospel story be a story of hope for women (and
men)?
Allow the group to discuss. See the “Jesus, the Radical” section in “What do I
need to know about this passage?” for ideas.
2. How do Jesus’ actions illustrate the point that all persons, men
and women alike, are created with equal dignity?
Jesus does not shy away from speaking with a woman, even when His
disciples “marveled” at it. He has a discussion with her about incredibly
profound topics of faith, topics that were probably discussed only among
men in those days. God also chooses her to be the catalyst for the conversion
of her village.
3. Why do you think Jesus asks the woman to call her husband?
Allow the group to discuss. This question allows Jesus to speak to a part
of her soul that is hurting. Through this question she admits the fact that
she has had six “husbands.” She has been on a search for love, looking to
different men to satisfy a longing in her soul.
4. What is the cure Jesus gives her for her unending search for love?
Jesus. Only God can truly quench the thirst in our souls for love and
communion.
47
Discussion / Jesus Confirms Our Dignity
7. What else are you tempted to use to try and satisfy the longings
in your soul?
Allow the group to discuss.
Ibid., 15.
16
48
9. Why do you think Jesus chose to reveal His identity to this
woman?
Allow the group to discuss.
49
NOTES
50
Chapter 4
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 52 - 57
DISCUSSION
Pages 58 - 64
51
Understanding / Capacity for the Other
UNDERSTANDING
Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women, Mulieris Dignitatem
17
52
passage to reading more from John Paul II’s 1988 apostolic letter
Mulieris Dignitatem, “On the Dignity and Vocation of Women.” These
passages will help us to understand some of the aspects of what
John Paul II so beautifully called the “feminine genius” and the great
mission that God entrusts to women because of this “genius.”
Our Genius
His words echo God’s original plan for the human couple, which we
discussed in chapter one: that men and women were not created to
be in competition but instead to complement each other. Men and
women express dimensions of the human person in different ways,
and together these expressions reveal the fullness of the human
person.
The most obviously unique thing about a woman’s body is its ability
to conceive and bear life. Having this physical capacity points to a
18
Pope John Paul II, “The Feminine Genius,” art. 2, in The Genius of Women, 27–28. Internal
citations omitted.
53
Understanding / Capacity for the Other
greater reality about femininity: According to John Paul II, the female
personality is being particularly receptive and sensitive to others, as
well as generous in making a gift of self. He says,
Application to Jesus
In the Gospels, Jesus’ words and actions echo the truth about the
differences between men and women. John Paul II says, “Christ
emphasized the originality which distinguishes women from men, all
the richness lavished upon women in the mystery of creation.”20
God has endowed each woman, whether she physically gives birth
or not, with a natural sensitivity to the human person in all his or
her unique dimensions. St. Edith Stein—an atheist Jewish philosopher
and university professor turned convert, nun, and theologian who
was killed at Auschwitz—expands our understanding of this idea:
“Woman naturally seeks to embrace that which is living, personal, and
whole.”21 Stein goes on to describe this inclination as a yearning to
“cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth.”22
MD, 30.
19
MD, 25.
20
Edith Stein, The Collected Words of Edith Stein, Volume Two: Essays on Woman (Washington,
21
Ibid.
22
54
Some women are called to do this as literal mothers, but all are
called to do this as spiritual mothers—reaching out to those around
them—and, in their own way, to exercise and develop their capacity
for the other. Stein reminds us that each woman will do this in her
own beautifully unique manner when she says, “No woman is only
woman; like man each has her individual specialty and talent.”23
Men and women are called to serve one another out of reverence for
Christ. Often the service of women is practical and concrete, in direct
relation to the needs of the people around her.
Pope Francis has observed that women’s role in the Church and the
world is one of service, not servitude. He explains,
Ibid., 47.
23
Pope John Paul II, Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women (Rome: Vatican, 1995), 10.
24
25
Pope Francis, “Address to Participants in a Seminar Organized by the Pontifical Council
for the Laity on the Occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Mulieris Dignitatem,” Rome, 12 55
Understanding / Capacity for the Other
How do we see Mary’s feminine capacity for others in the story of the
Visitation? We read that, after Mary’s encounter with the angel, she
“arose and went with haste into the hill country” (Lk 1:39) to be with
her cousin Elizabeth, who was expecting a child. How many of us,
after receiving the kind of news that Mary did, would so immediately
turn our thoughts to another in need? Might not our own incredible
news eclipse that of others? Mary selflessly takes on another person’s
concern as her own and bravely sets out on what must have been
a tiring journey in order to serve another. We can even imagine
how much more tenderly Mary may have cared for and helped her
pregnant cousin, knowing what was happening within her own body.
We, too, are called to bring Christ to others, even when the “journey”
is difficult.
56
NOTES
57
Discussion / Capacity for the Other
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
Do you think there are fundamental differences between men and
women? Why or why not?
STEP 2: BACKDROP
In the last chapter, we examined how Jesus treated a woman He met
with loving respect and dignity, an attitude often unusual for His time.
Through these encounters, Jesus confirmed what we learned from
reading the creation accounts in Genesis: that man and woman were
each created in the image and likeness of God, and therefore with
equal dignity.
58
STEP 3: PASSAGE
“The moral and spiritual strength of a woman is joined to her awareness
that God entrusts the human being to her in a special way. Of course, God
entrusts every human being to each and every other human being.
But this entrusting concerns women in a special way—precisely by
reason of their femininity—and this in a particular way determines
their vocation.”26
2. Read aloud: “In fact, woman has a genius all her own, which
is vitally essential to both society and the Church. It is certainly
not a question of comparing woman to man, since it is obvious
that they have fundamental dimensions and values in common.
However, in man and in woman these acquire different strengths,
interests and emphases and it is this very diversity which becomes
a source of enrichment.”27 Do you agree that men and women
express dimensions of the human person in different ways? If
so, what do you think some of their complementary “strengths,
interests and emphases” might be?
Allow the group to discuss.
26
MD, 30.
2
7Pope John Paul II, “The Feminine Genius,” art. 2, in The Genius of Women, 27–28. 59
Internal citations omitted.
Discussion / Capacity for the Other
MD, 30.
28
60
6. St. Edith Stein, a convert, nun, and theologian who was killed at
Auschwitz, says, “Woman naturally seeks to embrace that which
is living, personal, and whole.”29 Stein goes on to describe this
inclination as a yearning to “cherish, guard, protect, nourish and
advance growth.…”30 Does this feminine response resonate with
you, either in your own experiences or from your observations?
Why or why not?
Allow the group to discuss.
8. How can you better live out this spiritual maternity in your
daily life?
Allow the group to discuss.
Edith Stein, The Collected Words of Edith Stein, Volume Two: Essays on Woman
29
Ibid., 47.
31
61
Discussion / Capacity for the Other
10. Men and women are called to serve one another out of
reverence for Christ, though often the service of women is
practical and concrete, in direct relation to the needs of persons.
What is your reaction to this idea?
Allow the group to discuss. Because of our fallen nature, our world often
sees service as degrading. However, in a Christian worldview, service has
great dignity. Jesus himself tells us that he came “not to be served but to
serve” (Mt 20:28). John Paul II even says that Mary’s role as Queen of the
Universe is based on service: “For her, ‘to reign’ is to serve! Her service is
‘to reign’!” 32
11. How do you see Mary’s “capacity for the other” in the
Visitation?
See “The Visitation” in “What do I need to know about this passage?”
62
NOTES
63
NOTES
64
Chapter 5
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 66 - 71
DISCUSSION
Pages 72 - 76
65
Understanding / A Mission for Our Times
UNDERSTANDING
“In our own time, the successes of science and technology make it
possible to attain material well-being to a degree hitherto unknown.
While this favors some, it pushes others to the edges of society. In this
way, unilateral progress can also lead to a gradual loss of sensitivity
for man, that is, for what is essentially human. In this sense, our time in
particular awaits the manifestation of that ‘genius’ which belongs to
women, and which can ensure sensitivity for human beings in every
circumstance: because they are human!”33
In the last chapter, we began to explore what John Paul II meant by the
term “feminine genius.” We discussed how men and women, equal in
dignity, express a common humanity through complementary gifts
Pope John Paul II, “Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women,” Mulieris
33
John Paul II argues that society urgently needs women who live out
their femininity:
St. Edith Stein echoes the pope’s sentiments when she writes, “The
participation of women in the most diverse professional disciplines
could be a blessing for the entire society, private or public, precisely if
the specifically feminine ethos would be preserved.”35
What would it look like to live out a feminine ethos in professional life?
According to John Paul II, it would mean remaining sensitive to what
is truly human and to how one’s work affects actual human beings.
While business can become more concerned with efficiency and
34
Pope John Paul II, “The Feminine Genius,” art. 1, in The Genius of Women, 27–28. Internal
citations omitted.
Edith Stein, The Collected Words of Edith Stein, Volume Two: Essays on Woman (Washington,
35
67
D.C.: ICS Publications, 1987), 49.
Understanding / A Mission for Our Times
profit than with the good of human beings, women can bring their
care for individuals into the public sphere, making all professions
more authentically human. Women have a special ability to pay
attention to the needs of others and to respond holistically to them
as persons, rather than as problems to fix.
Application to Jesus
68
But possibly more nowadays than in former times, both
husband and wife will work. Therein arises the difficult problem
of the double vocation: there is danger that her work outside of
the home will so take over that finally it can make it impossible
for her to be the heart of the family and the soul of the home,
which must always remain her essential duty.36
Dr. Evelyn Birge Vitz discusses this difficult issue in her book Real
Women. While working outside the home for some women is a
necessity, Vitz says,
While the particular circumstances of our lives will differ, calling for
personal discernment in our choices, Vitz offers a general suggestion:
If women need to work when the children are young, they might look
for jobs that better support their responsibilities at home (working
fewer hours, closer to home, at a less high-pressured company, etc.).
However, if women can stay home when the children are young,
they may have the opportunity to work outside the home when the
children are grown, giving them the chance to have both a family life
and a career…maybe “just not all at the same time.”38
Stein, 109.
36
37
Vitz, Evelyn Birge. Real Women (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1994), 131–32 (emphasis
in the original).
69
Ibid., 133.
38
Understanding / A Mission for Our Times
The influence of much of our culture and media today can make
it difficult to value the role of “heart of the family and soul of the
home.” The nature of this work is often hidden and quiet, two things
not particularly esteemed by our society. Regardless, Pope John Paull
II reminds us that we must think with the mind of Christ instead of
that of the world. The gift of motherhood, as well as fatherhood, and
the responsibility to nurture and educate a family are some of the
most sacred and beautiful gifts that God has entrusted to women and
men in a special way. They are not roles to begrudge or suppress;
rather, they can become paths to self-discovery and true happiness.
“Motherhood implies from the beginning a special openness to the
new person: and this is precisely the woman’s ‘part’. In this openness,
in conceiving and giving birth to a child, the woman ‘discovers herself
through a sincere gift of self.’”40
Ibid., 135.
39
MD, 18.
40
70
NOTES
71
Discussion / A Mission for Our Times
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
What unique contributions do you think women bring to home life
and professional life?
STEP 2: BACKDROP
In the last chapter, we began to explore what John Paul II meant by the
term “feminine genius.” We discussed how men and women, equal in
dignity, express a common humanity through complementary gifts
bestowed by God. John Paul II describes the female personality as
being particularly receptive and sensitive to others, explaining that
God entrusts the human being to women in a unique and beautiful
way. In this chapter, we will examine the critical and exciting mission
that God has for the women of our time by reason of their feminine
gifts.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
“In our own time, the successes of science and technology make it
possible to attain material well-being to a degree hitherto unknown.
While this favors some, it pushes others to the edges of society. In this
way, unilateral progress can also lead to a gradual loss of sensitivity
for man, that is, for what is essentially human. In this sense, our time in
72
particular awaits the manifestation of that ‘genius’ which belongs to
women, and which can ensure sensitivity for human beings in every
circumstance: because they are human!”41
2. In his July 23, 1995, Angelus address, John Paul II said: “It is a
‘sign of the times’ that woman’s role is increasingly recognized,
not only in the family circle, but also in the wider context of all
social activities. Without the contribution of women, society is
less alive, culture impoverished, and peace less stable. Situations
where women are prevented from developing their full potential
and from offering the wealth of their gifts should therefore be
considered profoundly unjust, not only to women themselves
but to society as a whole.”42 How do you think women use their
feminine gifts to enliven society and promote culture and peace?
Allow the group to discuss.
Pope John Paul II, “Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women, Mulieris
41
73
Discussion / A Mission for Our Times
Stein, 49.
43
74
demonstrate their “capacity for the other”: as wives and mothers.
Our society often does not value this role. How do you feel about it?
Allow the group to discuss.
8. Why do you think our society devalues the role of wife and
mother?
The nature of this work is often hidden and quiet, two things not particularly
esteemed by our society, which prizes productivity and tangible results.
Stein, 109.
44
MD, 18.
45
75
NOTES
76
Chapter 6
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 78 - 81
DISCUSSION
Pages 82 - 86
77
Understanding / The Prophetic Nature of Women
UNDERSTANDING
“Holy women are an incarnation of the feminine ideal; they are also a
model for all Christians…an example of how the Bride must respond
with love to the love of the Bridegroom.”46
Pope John Paul II, “Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women,” Mulieris
46
In what ways can we see that women are physically receptive? In the
sexual act, a wife physically receives her husband in a mutual gift of
self. As we discussed earlier in our study, when God creates a new
human life through the intimacy of husband and wife, the woman
receives that life into her very body and nurtures the baby for nine
months in her womb.
Historically, some feminist thinkers have resented the idea that women
are naturally receptive. To them it implies that women are weak and
passive. Philosopher Alice von Hildebrand, however, insists upon the
correct definition of receptivity:
Alice Von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman (Ann Arbor: Sapientia Press, 2002),
47
63.
79
Understanding / The Prophetic Nature of Women
“Holy women are an incarnation of the feminine ideal; they are also
a model for all Christians, an example of how the Bride must respond
with love to the love of the Bridegroom.”51 John Paul II describes this
as “a special kind of ‘prophetism’ that belongs to women in their
femininity. The analogy of the Bridegroom and the Bride speaks of the
love with which every human being—man and woman—is loved by
God in Christ. But in the context of the biblical analogy…it is precisely
the woman—the bride—who manifests this truth to everyone.”52 This
is truly an amazing gift and responsibility given to us by God.
Ibid., 64-5.
48
MD, 29.
49
Pope John Paul II, “Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women,” Mulieris
51
How does Mary embody active receptivity in this scene? Mary asks
for understanding and freely chooses to say “yes” to God’s plan for
salvation, allowing the Son of God to be conceived in her womb by
the power of the Holy Spirit. “Mary’s words at the Annunciation— ‘Let
it be to me according to your word’—signify the woman’s readiness
for the gift of self and her readiness to accept a new life.”53 Mary
not only receives but responds to the gift with her own gift of self:
“The existence of Mary is an invitation to the Church to root her very
being in listening and receiving the Word of God, because faith is
not so much the search for God on the part of human beings, as the
recognition by men and women that God comes to us.”54
Let us spend time each day listening, receiving, and then responding
in love to the Word of God.
MD, 18.
53
54
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on
the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World (Rome: Offices of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2004).
81
Discussion / The Prophetic Nature of Women
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
What is a characteristic that all women possess?
STEP 2: BACKDROP
Chapter 6 continues our examination of Pope John Paul II’s
understanding of the feminine genius. Equipped with the knowledge
that God has endowed women with a unique sensitivity to the
human person, and that she therefore has a vital role to play in the
proper advancement of society and culture, we will explore an even
greater mission entrusted to her, one characterized by the feminine
expression of receptivity.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
“Holy women are an incarnation of the feminine ideal; they are also a
model for all Christians…an example of how the Bride must respond
with love to the love of the Bridegroom.”55
MD, 27.
55
82
Exploration: Questions and Answers
83
Discussion / The Prophetic Nature of Women
Ibid., 64–65.
57
84
bride so that He can love us and we can love Him in return. Women are
predisposed to understand this truth, because it is already stamped into
our feminine bodies and personalities. Women are therefore in a position
to teach true receptivity to the world.
8. How can you be more receptive to the love of God in your life?
Allow the group to discuss. Answers might include prayer, reading
Scripture, and going more frequently to Mass and confession.
9. How can you, with all your feminine gifts and strengths, live
out this call to be a “model” for all Christians?
Allow the group to discuss.
10. In what ways can you better respond to God’s love and return
it to Him and those around you?
Help others to recognize their dignity and purpose; be more active in
leading others to Christ and the Church; anticipate other’s needs and
show Christian charity.
85
Discussion / The Prophetic Nature of Women
13. What are some practical ways that we can live out this quality
of receptivity?
Allow the group to discuss. Ideas: allow ourselves to be served; joyfully
accept the good intentions of others, especially men who wish to honor us
(i.e., opening doors, carrying something heavy, clearing our dishes, etc.).]
14. How might you better live this interior quality of receptivity
in your life?
Allow the group to discuss. Ideas: Pray to ask Mary to help you to be more
like her in her receptivity; think kindly of those who offer to serve or honor
you, rather than having a resentful attitude; trust that God loves you
unconditionally and desires your good; do a daily examen about the gifts
and blessings that God has given to you.
86
NOTES
87
NOTES
88
Chapter 7
UNDERSTANDING
Pages 90 - 93
DISCUSSION
Pages 94 - 99
89
Understanding / Mary, Our Model
UNDERSTANDING
Pope John Paul II, “Apostolic Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women,” Mulieris
58
John Paul II says that Mary’s words at the annunciation “signify the
discovery of her own feminine humanity.” Why do you think this is
the case? As the Second Vatican Council states, man “cannot fully
find himself except through a sincere gift of self.” At the moment of
the Annunciation, Mary held nothing back and made a sincere gift
of herself to God. In doing this, she discovers who God made her
to be in all her human and feminine richness. She perfectly exhibits
the feminine qualities of receptivity and sensitivity discussed in the
precious chapters.
91
Understanding / Mary, Our Model
Application to Jesus
John Paul II also says that Mary represents “the eternal originality of
the ‘woman’, just as God wanted her to be. ” This is why Mary is the
most perfect model for us. Just as Christ is described as the “new
Adam,” Mary is the “new Eve.” It’s as if, with Mary, God pushed the
reset button. Like Eve, she was created without sin. Mary, however,
corrected Eve’s mistake and said yes to God, making a complete gift
of self to him. This was God’s intention from the beginning: that, in
their own uniquely feminine way, women would freely choose to
respond to His love with their own gift of love and thereby discover
their true dignity and vocation.
Pope John Paul II, “Mother of the Redeemer,” Redemptoris Mater (Rome: Vatican, 1987),
60
46.
92
of women.” All of humanity—not just women—can look to her as
an example of faithfulness in following God: “The dignity of every
human being and the vocation corresponding to that dignity find
their definitive measure in union with God. Mary, the woman of the
Bible, is the most complete expression of this dignity and vocation.”61
By imitating Mary in her total love for and service to God and those
around her, we will realize our true dignity and fulfill our feminine
vocation.
MD, 5.
61
Edith Stein, The Collected Words of Edith Stein, Volume Two: Essays on Woman (Washington,
62
93
D.C.: ICS Publications, 1987), 52.
Discussion / Mary, Our Model
DISCUSSION
STEP 1: OPENER
Share with the group an example of someone you know (or know of)
who lives out their feminine genius.
STEP 2: BACKDROP
We have now reached the last chapter in our study of John Paul II’s
apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem and the concept of the feminine
genius. We will spend this last chapter meditating on Mary as the
perfect model of feminine humanity and how she teaches us about
our own dignity and vocation.
STEP 3: PASSAGE
Mary is ‘the new beginning’ of the dignity and vocation of women, of
each and every woman… A particular key for understanding this can
be found in the words which the Evangelist puts on Mary’s lips after
the Annunciation, during her visit to Elizabeth: “He who is mighty has
done great things for me” (Lk 1:49). These words certainly refer to the
conception of her Son, who is the “Son of the Most High” (Lk 1:32), the
“holy one” of God; but they can also signify the discovery of her own
feminine humanity. He “has done great things for me”: this is the discovery
of all the richness and personal resources of femininity, all the eternal
94
originality of the “woman”, just as God wanted her to be, a person
for her own sake, who discovers herself “by means of a sincere gift of
self”.... In Mary, Eve discovers the nature of the true dignity of woman,
of feminine humanity. This discovery must continually reach the heart
of every woman and shape her vocation and her life.63
MD, 11.
63
95
Discussion / Mary, Our Model
of which the human heart is capable: the self-offering totality of love; the
strength that is capable of bearing the greatest sorrows; limitless fidelity
and tireless devotion to work; the ability to combine penetrating intuition
with words of support and encouragement.”64
Pope John Paul II, Mother of the Redeemer, Redemptoris Mater (Rome: Vatican, 1987), 46.
64
96
6. What are specific ways that you think looking to Mary will help
you achieve your own true flourishing?
Allow the group to discuss.
Edith Stein, The Collected Words of Edith Stein, Volume Two: Essays on Woman (Washington,
65
NOTES
98
NOTES
99
FOCUS Equip
100
101
FEMININE GENIUS
102