Today, on International Women’s Day, there is one message I want to share with you:
Do not be afraid.
You need not be afraid of being different from man.
You need not be afraid of an active emotional life.
You need not be afraid of being too outspoken or too quiet.
You need not be afraid if you don’t feel feminine - nothing can change the fact that you were created as a woman.
You need not be afraid if aspects of the feminine genius don't resonate with you - the feminine genius is far more deep and profound than we can understand, and you have it in you, even if we don't know yet how to explain it fully.
You need not be afraid of suffering - look at the women who met Christ on the road to Calvary.
You need not be afraid of the masculine traits you possess - growth in holiness can mean that we demonstrate the virtues of man and woman.
You need not be afraid of an unplanned or crisis pregnancy - you are strong, and we will support you (seriously, please contact us).
You need not be afraid of infertility - nothing can reduce your femininity or capacity to be maternal, however you live that out.
You need not be afraid of asking hard questions - the Church can handle it and the Truth will remain as it has always been.
And, for the record, you need not be ashamed of any of that, either.
God willed that human beings should exist in two sexes: man and woman. Though woman was created second, she was not an afterthought - because God does not have afterthoughts. Though woman was created second, she is not inferior - because God willed woman for her own sake.
If God desired that woman should exist, then we know it is good to be a woman. Not only did God desire woman to exist, He desired that you, specifically, should exist. And as we grow closer to Him, He will reveal to us all of the goodness that lies in our creation.
