In Denver, where I served as auxiliary bishop, there is a very beautiful and holy mountain. In 1912, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini took some of her religious sisters and several orphans who were in their care and climbed to the top of this mountain. There they gathered hundreds of white stones of all different sizes and arranged them into the shape of a large Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Cabrini’s heart of stones is still on that mountaintop, just the way the saint intended it. And I have come to see it as a beautiful symbol for the calling and mission as women.
As Mother Cabrini and her companions gathered stones and turned them into a heart of Jesus, women are called to do the same thing. From the materials and experiences of their daily lives, they are called to make something beautiful for Jesus, to turn their little corner of the world into a reflection of his Sacred Heart.
Mother Cabrini used to pray: “O Jesus, I love you very much. … Give me a heart as big as the universe. … Tell me what you wish that I do, and do with me as you will.” That’s a good prayer for all of us — but especially for women.
We should ask our Lord for a heart as big as the universe, so that we can love him more and love others as our brothers and sisters. We should always be asking our Lord what he wants us to do for his kingdom.
The story of his kingdom is filled with the stories of women. The Gospel begins with the story of two mothers — Mary and Elizabeth. The first announcement of Christ comes from Elizabeth, when she recognizes Mary as the Mother of her Lord. (Lk 1:43)
Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. Mary Magdalene was the first to speak to Christ after he rose from the dead. She was also the first to be called by name and commissioned to tell the good news to his disciples. (cf. Jn 20:16-18)
And women continue to have a special place in God’s plan of salvation. The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well went away leaving her water jar, because she had discovered the true source of living water. (Jn 4) But where does she go and what did she do? She returned to her home and invited all the people of her town to come and see Christ.
Women today are also called to bear witness to the resurrection and bring others to Christ. No matter where they are in life — whether they are at home taking care of children or aging parents; or working or running a business; or engaged in politics or ministry.
In every circumstance we have the opportunity to proclaim Christ. Not only by our words, but by our example and our service.
All the great women saints are women of prayer and women of action. They founded schools, hospitals, orphanages and many institutions of mercy; they were active in politics and diplomacy.
Even a saint like Thérèse of Lisieux, who never left her convent, was a woman engaged in the world. She prayed fervently for the church’s missions. She read the newspapers and prayed over the stories she found in them. There is a marvelous story of how Thérèse prayed — successfully — for the conversion of a murderer on death-row.
The great challenge that women face is how to balance prayer and service — the active and the contemplative life. That’s the lesson of the famous Gospel about Mary and Martha. (Lk 10) Women need a strong prayer life. As Mary did, they need to take time to be with Jesus, to adore him, to listen to his word. And like Martha, they need to serve Jesus in love.
But we need to keep our priorities straight. Before we can be Martha, we must first be Mary. Our service to Jesus must flow from our adoration of our Lord in the Eucharist, from our contemplation of his words, from our prayer.
When Mary Magdalene met Jesus at the empty tomb on that first Easter morning he asked, “Woman, whom do you seek?” (Jn 20:15)
Our Lord is asking that question to the women of our generation. I pray that they will offer their lives to him in all generosity — as Mary Magdalene and the great women saints have done.
I pray that Our Lady of Guadalupe will give our sisters in San Antonio the courage to be saints. The courage to love as Mother Cabrini loved. With a love that transforms hearts of stone into hearts of flesh! With a love that brings others to the heart of Jesus!
Adapted from the presentation given at the 2009 Catholic Women’s Conference in San Antonio. For the full text, visit www.archsa.org.