MY ESSAYS ON RESPECT FOR WOMEN #1 Second only to God

Writing on the subject Respect for Women is made difficult considering the wide range of the topic. This issue is of vital importance in our modern times; but we cannot separate the present from the past. Indeed the origin of woman and man as given us through Genesis is of great import.  During the long time from creation until the present, consideration must be given the effects on our subject of various cultures, ethnicities, religions, government and the various vicissitudes of life.

The topic of respect for women I have long wanted to write about but the right moment had not thrust itself upon me until just today when I read an article on Yahoo about women in Australia organizing a walk protesting the comment of a policeman suggesting that women would not be assaulted if they dressed more appropriately.  If you read the article I have posted with this essay you will see that some of the strong words have not been included in this writing.

Nonetheless it presents a valid point of discussion concerning the relative importance of how a woman's dress has an effect or not on the behavior of some men who might take sexual advantage of women. Not only how a person dresses, but how a person behaves based upon beliefs, which may or may not have a bearing on criminal actions taken upon women by men, needs to be investigated.

There is certainly a wide range of historical data which can help in evaluating not only what constitutes respect for women but how such respect can be fostered. To do this, giving consideration to what hopefully should be certain standards in the roles of women and men would certainly be helpful. On the other hand returning to a more fundamental belief in the true stature of woman influences my belief in a more theological explanation of this stature.

Adam and Eve were the first man and woman.
God gave them everything they needed.  All God wanted in return was their love; love shown through obedience. But they both failed the test of obedience God gave them. Human nature has ever since suffered from the concupiscence of that failing. It is from this damaged human nature resulting from this failing that has brought about the serious difficulties both men and women have in relating to each other appropriately.

God so loved His creation of human beings, both men and women, that he sent his only Son to redeem them from the eternal effects of their disobedience to Him.  An Angel appeared to Mary in Judea asking her to bear a child who was to save his people; Mary, having promised herself to God, including not having sexual relations with a man, asked the angel how this was to happen. The Angel responded that through the power of the Holy Spirit she would conceive.  Mary's response was an immediate yes to the will of God. Thus the child conceived within her womb becomes the second Adam, Jesus Christ. The immediate response of Mary to the will of God has made her the second Eve.

The perfect models then, for men and women have, ever since, been the second Adam and the second Eve.  But Mary is then the actual Mother of God, the Son, in His Human Nature, which is God having taken on a human nature, but none the less God.   A woman, a mere human, having the essence of the Mother of God.  Now that's a WOW!  Mary is not God and not equal to God but through the great generosity of God she is second only to god in His Trinity of Persons, the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

In Catholic theology Mary has been gifted by God to be Queen of Heaven, meaning Queen of all created spirits, the angels, and Queen of Earth, meaning all human beings.  Through John the Apostle, at the foot of the Cross, God has given us Mary as our spiritual mother who will, when asked through prayer, generously intercede for us with her Son, Jesus Christ who will not refuse His Mom.

Even though good Christians may differ in their beliefs about some of the theology of Mary, including Catholics, only this is of great importance to keep in mind:  we are blessed not only by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross but WOMAN has been elevated by God to a stature second only to God.  Mary is not to be worshiped; worship is for God only.  But let us give good thought to the honor He has given to a mere creature, a woman, because of her unflinching obedience to His will.  Let us all remember the respect and honor He has given woman; can we do less?


Click on Link to Yahoo article:
http://godfreedomcountry.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-essays-on-respect-for-women-1-second.html