By Dr. Jonathan Isibor.
Last week, the first part of this article was published. Below is the final:
When you have got through all the anxieties and stress of caring for a baby, you find yourself promoted again; you now take on the added tasks that come with being school boy’s mum.
Then as you are beginning to feel at home and somewhat confident with your assignment, you are landed with the fearful job of coping with teenager.”
It stands to reason that no one can impart into another what he or she does not possess. In order to fulfill her role as the light of the family, a woman needs some measure of mystic instruction.
Many great women in history have positively influenced humanity, not necessarily because of their academic qualifications or status in life, but because of their mystical approach to life and living.
George Washington stands out in history as one of America’s greatest heroes. His godly leadership saw his country through its challenging formative years.
But Washington credited his success to his mother, “I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”
Development of High Level of Administrative and Managerial Qualities:
The divine light in a woman when properly directed or utilized makes her the best administrator wherever she finds herself.
A woman should be able to anticipate the needs, feelings, and thought of other members of the family. Usually women have very receptive minds, which easily respond to intuitive urges or messages from the Master within or inner self.
With such divine guidance, they are usually always able to manage the affairs of the family, chart a progressive course in life for the children of the home, as well as assist the husband to proffer very useful solutions to the inevitable challenges of daily life.
Spiritually Endowed: It is the responsibility of every woman to, from time to time, meditate and regularly visualize the success of her family and the progress of society.
Remember, it is what you put into creation that you also reap from it. A woman must be prayerful. Her spiritual life must serve as shining example to others in the immediate family. The spiritual strength in a woman aids her in visualizing those things that are desirable for the family.
The virtues of a good mother enable her child to appreciate and respect the sanctity of human life, cultivate and develop the values of devotion to God, respect for authority, self discipline and control, and obedience to divine commandments.
These are the qualities that make a person truly great. Proverb, Chapter 14 verse 1 reads: “The wise woman builds her house; but the foolish pulls it down with her hands”.
Closely tied to the need to grow spiritually is the necessity to cultivate the inclination towards showing charity.
Charity they say begins at home. It is the mother indeed that should ensure that the seed of charity is sown in the family, so that the Christ Spirit and in fact the light of God will be perpetually made manifest in the home.
Cultivation of Well Balanced Emotion:
A woman of honor must control her desires. Any person who has caught a glimpse of the philosophy of moral living must learn to be patient and tolerant in the affairs of life.
If a woman attunes herself properly with the divine light within, she will never go astray. She will never allow her emotions to overwhelm her personality; rather, she is able to channel her emotions along creative advantageous path in life.
Display of Decency and High Morality:
This being a difficult subject to comment upon, especially in a multi-cultural world as we live in, where there are as many traditional and cultural belief systems as there are many persons, the bearer of light has her own conscience to judge her actions.
However, it is stated in one of the ten commandments of Holy Bible that one should not commit adultery. Amongst other vices which our mystic forbearers identity as destroyers of light are: envy, lust, vanity, inconstancy, false judgment, and insincerity. These are the things decent women must stay away from.
In concluding this article, I will like to mention a few of very many examples of women whom I believe have fanned their light of understanding into brilliance not only within their immediate nuclear families, but beyond for the benefit of mankind.
St. Maria Goretti was born in Corialdo, Italy on 16th October 1890 to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. She was baptized in the church of San Francesco in Corinaldo, on 17th October, 1890, confirmed by Mons Guilio Boschi, Bishop of Senigallia, on October 4th 1896, received her first Holy Communion in the church of Corica today called Borgo Montello, on 16th June 1901.
Maria died at the age of 11 years, 9 months, and 21 days after being stabbed 14 times by a neighbor, Alessandro Serenelli who wanted her to compromise her virginity. 20 years old Alessandro has been a thorn in lovely Maria’s side.
He propositioned her several occasions and harassed her with impure suggestions. On July 5, 1902 he would not be denied no longer and his impure passions drove him into attacking little Maria.
She rebuffed his sexual advance shouting, “No, it is sin! God does not want it” But it was too late. Doctors in Nettuno tried to save Maria’s life to no avail. After 20 painful hours of suffering she prayed for forgiveness for her assailant.
Almost 50 years later, on June 24, 1950, Pope Pius XII stood on the steps of St. Peter in Rome and pronounced Maria Goretti a Saint and Martyr of the Universal Church to half a million people; thus becoming the youngest officially recognized Roman Catholic Saint ever.
The beautiful message of purity and forgiveness demonstrated by St. Maria will inspire people of all ages, because it is an ageless story of rare and heroic courage.
It was the triumph of the little girl who loved God and hated sin. It was a story of the success of light over darkness.
I will also like to mention Mother Theresa of Calcutta. She was born on August 27, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia, as Gonshe Bojaxhiu from Albania parents Nikolle and Drandafille Bojaxhiu.
She was the youngest of three children born into a devoted Catholic Family. It was her family generosity, care for the poor and less fortunate that made a great impact on young mother Theresa’s life.
By age 12, she had made up her mind and she realized that vocation as aiding the poor. She joined the Sisters of Loretto in Dublin, Ireland, as a nun.
In 1946, her life changed forever, while riding a train to the mountain town of Darjeeling to recover from suspected tuberculosis.
On September 10, she said that she received a calling from God “to serve Him among the poorest of the poor.
She received papal approval, created a religious Order of nuns called the Missionaries of Charity. To identify herself with the poor, she chose to always wear a plain white sari with a blue border and a simple cross pinned to her left shoulder.
When she was accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, she mentioned that her Mission was “to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, and all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone”.
The message here is that Mother Theresa’s inner light shone to great brilliance and positively imparted many lives outside of her immediate biological family.
The news of her death in 1997 resounded throughout the whole world. Notable dignitaries, including Queens and First Ladies, Presidents and Prime Ministers, former Heads of States, ministers and envoys from 23 countries, gathered together on September 13 to pay their final respects to Mother Theresa.
The funeral was held at the 15,000 seat Netaji indoor Stadium, and at the instance of the Missionaries of Charity; about half of those seats were reserved for those unfortunate people she served during her life.
The state funeral services usually reserved for heads of state were led by Cardinal A. Sodano, the Vatican’s Secretary of State and the Pope’s representative.
At the funeral, the then French Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac remarked, “Tonight, there is less love, less compassion, less light in the world.” The life of Mother Theresa was no doubt the story of the light of one woman penetrating the darkness of the world!
In my dear country, Nigeria, have been found women whose light of understanding and personal sacrifice have influenced their communities.
Notable among the heroines in the profession of politics and governance were the likes of Chief (Mrs.) Margaret Ekpo, who led Aba women’s revolt against taxation.
She was a delegate to the London Conference and appointed to the Eastern Nigeria House of Chiefs together with Chief (Mrs.) Janet Mokelu.
Chief (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti of blessed memory led the Egba women resistance and got elected as President of the Federation of all Women’s Organization of Nigeria that fought and won adult suffrage for women change in Nigeria. The list is endless.
My message to every woman reading this article is that, irrespective of your position in life, you have a key role to play in spreading the light of God in order to dispel the evil that prevails in human society.
The family environment is the most suitable platform from which you can generate and perpetuate this light! May the Light, life and Love of God guide and direct you in this onerous task. AMEN!
Dr. Jonathan Isibor is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State of Nigeria. He can be reached at: joe_isibor@yahoo.com
