Mary, Our Model of Feminine Sensitivity

Pat Gohn shares an excerpt from a reflection published in the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, new from Ave Maria Press.

Sensitivity in a woman is more than her tears at weddings or while watching a chick flick. Not to be confused with emotionalism or sentimentality, the gift of sensitivity runs much deeper. When she uses her gift intentionally, a woman quickly detects when others need love, care, or nurture. This gift also enables her to be receptive to spiritual matters, intuitively understanding things related to the heart of God. And while a woman may cry over something that moves her heart, those tears often become fuel—moving her to action. 

In his Letter to Women, St. John Paul II wisely observes,

Women acknowledge the person, because they see persons with their hearts. (par. 12)

Women who see others with their hearts and not just their eyes affirm the inherent dignity of the other. Sensitivity of this sort moves with compassion, with works of justice and mercy, bringing love where none exists. 

Sensitivity is deeply spiritual and increases as a woman is nurtured by the Holy Spirit. As she grows in grace, formed more and more by the love of God, her senses also work in more godly ways as grace builds on her nature. The more responsive she is to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to the quiet voice of truth inside of her, the more her sensitivity will help her, like holy radar, to receive what God says to her in prayer and in the moments of her day.

The ideal model for sensitivity is Mary. At Cana, Mary senses the need at hand—an embarrassing situation for the hosts of the wedding: “They have no wine” (2:3). She moves quietly and resolutely. She knows the divine power present in her son, yet she respects his autonomy. Mary’s directive to the servers is good advice for us: “Do whatever he tells you” (v. 5). Mary’s sensitivity in that moment blesses the whole community gathered to celebrate the wedding. Yet her sensitivity blesses us today as the wedding at Cana foreshadows Jesus made present in the Eucharist. 

Mary’s loving sensitivity continues to reach us from heaven. Mary connects people to her son and her son to people. She intercedes on our behalf. Her counsel always comes from a womanly heart perfectly aligned with God’s will.

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Mary's counsel always comes from a womanly heart perfectly aligned with God’s will. #CatholicMom

What makes the new Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible different from other Bibles for women? It includes almost 400 pages of special features created for women by women—more than 40 scholars, teachers, religious, authors, ministers, and speakers—such as Leah Darrow, Sarah Christmyer, Johnnette Benkovic Williams, and Sr. Maria Kim-Ngân Bùi, FSP—who come from a variety of backgrounds and reflect the diversity of the Catholic faith. Nine of these writers have a connection to Catholic Mom and have been sharing their gifts with our readers for quite some time.

The stunning beauty of the hardcover Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible also makes it stand out among its peers. The extraordinary and elegant design enhances the reading experience by connecting various features throughout the text including 50 profiles of women in the Bible, 97 Living in the Light of Faith essays, and questions for reflection and journaling.

Purchase your copy of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible at a special price: only $59.95 with FREE shipping when you use coupon code CMBIBLE23 at checkout at AveMariaPress.com. This code is good through March 31, 2023.

To learn more about the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible, visit AveMariaPress.com/living-the-word. You can also join the Living the Word Bible community on Instagram @livingthewordbible and listen to the new Living the Word Bible Podcast with host Sarah Christmyer wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Sarah Christmyer, editor of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, appeared on a recent episode of the Catholic Momcast. 

Copyright 2023 Pat Gohn
Images: Ave Maria Press
This excerpt from the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.