Who does Christ say that I am?

You’re too much. You’re not enough. You need to do more. You need to do less. You can achieve anything. You’re wasting your time. You’re a good girl. You’re definitely not.

The endless stream of messages we receive from the world can be exhausting. But are any of these statements true? Are they even relevant? More importantly, whose voice am I listening to? Who gets to dictate these claims about my identity?

Surrounded by a group of 75 women, I sat in quiet reflection, the weight of these statements and questions lingering in my heart.

“Women at the Well” is a local women’s ministry that gathers every fortnight at St Anthony of Padua, Austral. This evening was especially meaningful, as we were joined by international guest speaker Liz Kelly, who was wrapping up her tour made possible by Parousia Media. Liz’s talk focused on “Why the world needs a woman like you.”

As the gathering came to a close, we were invited to close our eyes and enter into prayer with Jesus, allowing ourselves time to process all that we had heard and experienced. In the stillness, with only the faint sound of cicadas in the background, I asked the Lord, “Who do you say that I am?”

To be a woman in today’s society requires navigating a world full of great demands and expectations. So often, we fall into the trap of believing the lies spoken to us about our worth. But God has created each and every one of us with great dignity, and as Liz taught, great majesty.

In her talk, Liz emphasised that our value isn’t determined by the world’s standards but rather in the ability to bear life, to be co-creators with God. Why? Because he is the living God. We see this at the very beginning of Scripture when the first woman is named Eve because she is, “the mother of all the living” (Gen 3:20).

“There is something intrinsic in a woman that hopes for life. That hopes for flourishing: in herself; in her children; in others. That sees opportunities for life. That naturally loves to create environments where others can flourish. And this is pure gift. It’s not something we earn, it’s not something we conjured, it’s not something we even merit. No, it’s something we’ve been entrusted with,” Liz said.

As Liz continued, she unpacked the powerful example of feminine majesty embodied in our Blessed Mother Mary. The example given to us by Mary goes beyond simply being a gentle, perfect parent. Rather, her witness shows us a woman wholly devoted to Jesus. Yes, it is Mary who asks Jesus to perform his first miracle at the wedding in Cana, but she doesn’t demand it like a typical mother might. Instead, she says to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5) and trusts that he will take care of the rest.

“Her feminine courage at its best to trust that the blood, the sacrifice, the toil, the vocation of her son’s life will bring about the greatest joy. She hopes in him. She carries with her the fullness of hope. That is the kind of hope that the world desperately needs. Not human optimism, but divine hope,” explained Liz.

This divine hope is for all women, not just those who are mothers.

The impact of these profound truths being declared out loud stirred something deep within me, and I wasn’t alone. Many women lingered afterward, discussing the impact of what we just heard.

Speaking with Elena, a local woman who attends the fortnightly gatherings, she shared that she felt empowered by Liz’s encouragement to go out and speak our truth.

She said, “It’s so important that we come together, we are all looking for the same thing, to draw us closer to God. It’s very uplifting.”

Liz left us with a provoking question; “Could there be a time in the world our entrustment is more needed?”

In a world dominated by noise, confusion and distorted lies about the identity of women, the call to live out our God-given majesty is needed now more than ever.

I thought back to the conflicting messages that clouded my identity and in the quiet space, after hearing Liz’s words, I found clarity. In the silence of my heart the Lord answered my question, Who do You say that I am?

I am not a woman of the world. I am a daughter of the King.

Helena Roumanus is the Project Officer for Catholic Women’s Network in the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation. To find out more about women’s initiatives in the Archdiocese of Sydney, stay connected with Catholic Women’s Network online.