Supercharge your Superpowers!

Linda Kracht explains why the superpowers of women are necessary for passing down the faith to future generations.

Hey moms, let’s collectively ponder our female superpowers — those natural, God-given gifts and talents that inspire us to help others in extraordinary ways. They help us to guide, teach, and influence others in ways that are par excellence.  

Does loving God have anything to do with the strength of our superpowers? Everything!  

Consider this:  

For the first time in modern American history, young men are now more religious than their female peers. They attend services more often and are more likely to identify as religious. ... Among Generation Z Christians, this dynamic is playing out in a stark way: The men are staying in church, while the women are leaving at a remarkable clip. Church membership has been dropping in the United States for years. But within Gen Z, almost 40 percent of women now describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, compared with 34 percent of men. (Ruth Graham, New York Times, September 23, 2024, emphasis mine).  

Why we should worry that fewer women call themselves religious  

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen explained why this data should be of concern to all of us: 

To a great extent the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women. (Life is Worth Living) 

Some of you may assume that Archbishop Sheen’s statement proves he has deep male chauvinistic roots — but does he? It has long been recognized that as goes our faith life, so goes the strength of the virtuous life. Women compromised by a lack of faith, and corresponding lack of virtues will openly reject the call to pursue God with her whole heart, mind and soul and will consequently have compromised superpowers when it comes to loving others. 

God's grace fuels women's virtues — our superpowers

Women naturally possess many superpowers fueled by God’s many different types of grace. As we love unconditionally, we assess the needs of those around us; we sense danger, making us great protectors of children; we have many other strong natural instincts that are guided by Wisdom; we are empathetic; we forgive easily; we are trusting; we are trustful; we are great communicators and conversationalists; we easily admit our feelings — and the list goes on and on.  

These superpowers are activated by something greater than us. So, it is vital that we put on Faith, Hope, and Love (the Theological Virtues); pursue Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence (the Cardinal Virtues); and arm ourselves with the myriad of natural virtues that supercharge our superpowers.  

Get ready. Get set. Let’s go, moms! Supercharge your superpowers. You got this! 

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Copyright 2024 Linda Kracht
Images: Canva