God Gave Me the Grace to Accept My Female Role in the Church

I remember last year around this time, I was struggling with my limited female role in the Church, not fully understanding why we couldn’t be priests, and the pain of that. 

I realized recently that since then, God gave me the grace to accept my female role in living the Gospel, and empowered me to ministries that deeply fulfill me.

I was on a virtual retreat and the topic of women in the Church came up. The widespread majority of women were clearly pained by this topic, and I oddly found myself resistant to their response and saying aloud to the group, knowing I would be a minority:

“But there are so many other ways to live the Gospel. So many, that I am overwhelmed with opportunities to be Jesus for others.”

I surprised myself because I didn’t always feel that way.

Over the last year, I have learned that the Gospel is so much more than a role. Being Jesus is so much more than being a priest. A priest is only only one manifestation of it, and certainly an important one, but not the only one. We women have so many opportunities to live the Gospel and be Christ to others every day. We can be mothers, nurturers, teachers, healers, servants of the poor, spiritual guides, servant leaders, advocates, and so on. 

Our opportunities to be a disciple are pretty much limitless except for that one role: Priest.

We play our role that God gives us. That’s our call.

Do you know how the females who have gone before us became Saints? They discerned and accepted their role in building the Kingdom and living the Gospel. We must do the same.

The problem is, some of us are so stuck in what we can’t do, that we don’t see what we can. It’s blinding us to the Gospel message that we can in fact live out day to day.

Serving the poor. Caring for the sick. Teaching the faith. Being a beacon of justice for the oppressed. Freeing those enslaved physically, emotionally and spiritually. Welcoming the stranger. Loving our neighbor. Being a servant leader. Nurturing our children in faith and love. Giving generously of our resources to support ministries.

So let's be empowered with our possibilities because our true task is to find our role in living the Gospel, and point the way to Jesus with the gifts, talents and unique circumstances that God gives us.