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God has a specific plan for woman. He has given her a holy mission, a holy call.
We are praying for the grace of authentic femininity and spiritual
Motherhood.
The Womb of Woman
In the great act of procreation, the woman … gives herself and lets herself be fecundated. The greatness of her role is illustrated by the fact that she is given but a microscopic seed; she gives back a human being, made to God’s image and likeness. This fact alone should open our eyes to the greatness of … the female vocation, for it is in the woman’s womb that the fecundated egg receives its soul. The female womb is, therefore, an organ of remarkable dignity.
Alice Von Hildebrand, Ph.D.
Dear Lord,
When Your hand places an immortal soul into the babe in the womb, You make the womb a place of sanctity and holiness. But, our culture humiliates this place of honor. It has made the womb a thing of derision, manipulation, and torture. Even woman herself has cooperated in the desecration. Restore to our world a sense of the womb’s sanctity, and correct in me any false notion or idea that leads me away from the truth of my femininity. Amen.
Scripture Passage for Meditation:
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
(Isaiah 5:20) RSV
Daily Reflection:
· What are some of the prevailing attitudes in secular society regarding the womb of woman and her reproductive capacity?
· How do the teachings of the Catholic Church contrast with these attitudes? See Appendix, Paragraph 1652, 2363, 2366, 2367, 2368, 2370.
· In the quote, Alice Von Hildebrand suggests a supernatural dimension regarding the womb. Ponder this. What deeper understanding does this bring to the sacredness of the womb and the entire reproductive system of woman?
· Contemporary thoughts and ideas often take root in subtle ways. To what extent have my own attitudes about my womb and reproductive system been shaped by the culture of the day? How can I overcome false understandings? Are there specific actions God might be asking me to take personally and in other ways?
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