“Remember your nobility!” The text came within a group thread comprising women with whom I meet regularly for spiritual book study to fortify our Christian journey. I responded with a GIF of a young Queen Elizabeth, her bright crown gleaming atop her head.
The text was referencing the concluding chapter of our study of the book, “Jesus Approaches,” by Elizabeth Kelly, whom I interviewed on my podcast recently , and whose insights I find sublime.
We’d just listened to her online reflections expounding on how we, as women, are called to share in the mission of Jesus’ mother, Mary—whom we celebrate this month—which is, “to bring Jesus to the world and the world to Jesus.”
Kelly juxtaposed Mary and the Samaritan woman from Scripture. Despite their obvious differences, she noted, Jesus approached them both; Mary, through the Holy Spirit, by choosing her as his mother; and the Samaritan woman, by choosing her as witness and missionary.
Each, she said, was invited to take Jesus into her respective world, and thus, given her own kingdom.
“We want to make note that even as Mary’s virginity is no obstacle to God’s plan,” Kelly expounded, “the Samaritan woman’s past is no obstacle,” either, for he still had work for her to do. “She runs into the thick of those who would chide and humiliate her,” boldly announcing “the presence of Christ in her life.”
Kelly said the noble mission both women were given is ours, too: the mission to announce the presence of Christ in our lives.
Do you feel the crown on your head, ladies? Do you realize that it sparkles more the further you open yourselves to God’s plan?
Like the Samaritan woman, Kelly said, our failings, weaknesses, willfulness, stubbornness and vices will not deter Christ from using us for his glory. “The question becomes, ‘Do I walk through the world, knowing that I am of noble lineage? That Jesus has redeemed me and given me a place, a role, a mission?’” she asked. If not, “What’s standing in the way?”
Women especially tend to fall under the influence of the lie that our mission isn’t that important, Kelly said, adding that there must be “a delicate balance” here requiring a “humble receptivity,” as with Mary and the Samaritan woman.
She added, “Where there is emptiness and receptivity, Jesus is able to enter, to indwell, to grow and then expand,” which allows us to bring Jesus to others in ways we couldn’t do alone. This “holy emptiness” is a willingness to be seen, and used, just as we are.
Our group concluded that our families are our immediate kingdom, with our reach expanding outward from there. Our queenship is that of mothers and wives, sisters and daughters, with hearts desiring to bring Jesus to others, and the light of Christ into the world.
Sisters, perhaps it’s time to dust off your crown and share the Good News with your kingdom. Your mission and life matter more than you probably realize.
[For the sake of having a repository for my newspaper columns and articles, I reprint them here, with permission, a week after their run date. The preceding ran in The Forum newspaper on May 5, 2024.]
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