I find myself left with your layby vision, with its magic escape portal into a richer way of being; and of John and Peter's race to the tomb, only to analyse and miss everything important. I like to think they raced home again, to see who could get the best kipper for breakfast. If only they could have tripped on the way and been abducted into feeling by a patient, helpful other...
Ha! I felt a little convicted when I realised the Pope has spoken about these three racing in a positive way in his Easter Sunday sermon. He thought it was a great thing…race to see Jesus. I’m clearly a little more skeptical…!
I'm with you on that Vanessa. Even though these stories about men were written & chosen by men, for men, the disciples still mostly come over as annoying but loveable doofuses. Your theory seems more in keeping than the late Pope's!
And Vanessa, another note - you talked of emotions not expressed growing up at some point. Oh how this makes me recall as a shy, introverted girl, who felt so much but did not know how to express or validate it. That it was so real and true and often experienced as feelings/emotions which, we were raised not to trust, but to even suppress. When I knew inside so much of the world was untrustworthy and wrong. My tender senses collected the evidence and processed it again and again with its intuitive superpower (unacknowledged, dismissed).
Thank you Vanessa. I enjoyed you voicing your writing. It felt more potent than just reading. As a lapsed (not sure that is the right term, but one most commonly used) Catholic I was fascinated by your study and reflections, opening new understanding of the bible. Ha ha, we had such terrible experience of the bible raised as Catholics. As you say, so male in every way. We were never invited to understand in a female way, just preached to by the men. Also, Catholic priests, in my experience have never learned to preach well or should I say, delivery a sermon which opens us up to any teaching, rather they just try to ram in the literal! We heard a non-Catholic minister deliver a sermon once at a jazz festival multi-denominational Sunday service. He could speak refreshingly well and be in touch with his audience acknowledging and reaching our humanity unlike I ever heard or felt in Mass. I said to my husband, have we been in the wrong mob all this time? So thank you for such amazing depth. I feel I am a closet male despiser, because of their dominance of so much and their presumed divine-right about everything, especially their view and experience of the world and religion. Oh you have opened up a buried can of worms here!
Thank you for sharing this Cathie. I’m really glad this piece was helpful. And what a lovely way of saying that…’reaching our humanity’… that’s what Pope Francis did so beautifully isn’t it.
Dear Vanessa, I do relate to your curious sense of unsettled-ness in the world over the last two months. Depressing, in many ways, until I read my experiences as challenges to my internalised misogyny.
For this reason, it’s so helpful to read your plunges into the women of the Bible. I ran away from all that biblical prose long ago because it felt like a long hairy wagging finger.
But now, through your stories, I can see how these women’s lives show ways of living powerfully. Which is what Andre Lorde does so well too. Thank you.
This is just absolutely gorgeous, Vanessa. The language you've found here is welcoming, eloquent, 'down to earth,' and finely honed at once. I am so glad you are writing and sharing with us.
Just reading this looking out at the hills of Kilmalieu. So much to think on but such a heart response from reading. How women's voices and hearts have been so unheard and undervalued. I come across it so much in my work with women of faith.
What a beautiful thought…that such a piece would be read in such a place…a place that did always allow space for me to FEEL…! Thank you C. And I was always particularly moved by the silences of the women in Glasgow when we worked there. I’ll never forget the moments when the men quietened down and began to really listen to those amazing women.
Thank you, Vanessa! So many emotions these past weeks due to....life and living. And several times told by men I was wrong or to not express opinions/feelings as strongly or in a certain space. The culminating effect was self-questioning, despair, "I am wrong, wrong, wrong" and just can't anymore. Your phrase "internalized misogyny" I think is exactly what I was confronting when I finally laid in a grassy spot to feel Earth--cigarette butt strewn and traffic whizzing by--I felt Her eternal life holding mine. And Mary at Easter, always! Vulnerability, despair, emotion meeting resurrection--only deep calls to deep.
Beautifully written. Thank you Lee. I hope you find ways to really hold and honour those powerful emotional responses…in ways that allow the precious insights to emerge.
So beautiful, thank you, Vanessa. I saw Sharon yesterday: we walked and talked, and your name cropped up in a moment of gratitude! Yes, please, to more Bible stories of women, along with your commentary and ideas. I'm guessing you know Joan Chittister's A Litany Of Women For The Church? Makes me cry every time I read it!
Em I don’t know that book, but I shall find it! Let’s write something together one day. And I wish I could have been with you and Sharon for that walk! X
By standing in the inherent authority of her own felt experience, Mary makes a way. ...
My words are quiet in the presence of all the feelings your post hadls opened. Blessings from my grateful heart.
Thank you for sharing this Brigid.
Beautiful stuff Vanessa!
I find myself left with your layby vision, with its magic escape portal into a richer way of being; and of John and Peter's race to the tomb, only to analyse and miss everything important. I like to think they raced home again, to see who could get the best kipper for breakfast. If only they could have tripped on the way and been abducted into feeling by a patient, helpful other...
Ha! I felt a little convicted when I realised the Pope has spoken about these three racing in a positive way in his Easter Sunday sermon. He thought it was a great thing…race to see Jesus. I’m clearly a little more skeptical…!
I'm with you on that Vanessa. Even though these stories about men were written & chosen by men, for men, the disciples still mostly come over as annoying but loveable doofuses. Your theory seems more in keeping than the late Pope's!
And Vanessa, another note - you talked of emotions not expressed growing up at some point. Oh how this makes me recall as a shy, introverted girl, who felt so much but did not know how to express or validate it. That it was so real and true and often experienced as feelings/emotions which, we were raised not to trust, but to even suppress. When I knew inside so much of the world was untrustworthy and wrong. My tender senses collected the evidence and processed it again and again with its intuitive superpower (unacknowledged, dismissed).
I was very shy as a kid too. Watching and feeling and taking things in. I hope you are finding ways to practice and enjoy that superpower now…
Thank you Vanessa. I enjoyed you voicing your writing. It felt more potent than just reading. As a lapsed (not sure that is the right term, but one most commonly used) Catholic I was fascinated by your study and reflections, opening new understanding of the bible. Ha ha, we had such terrible experience of the bible raised as Catholics. As you say, so male in every way. We were never invited to understand in a female way, just preached to by the men. Also, Catholic priests, in my experience have never learned to preach well or should I say, delivery a sermon which opens us up to any teaching, rather they just try to ram in the literal! We heard a non-Catholic minister deliver a sermon once at a jazz festival multi-denominational Sunday service. He could speak refreshingly well and be in touch with his audience acknowledging and reaching our humanity unlike I ever heard or felt in Mass. I said to my husband, have we been in the wrong mob all this time? So thank you for such amazing depth. I feel I am a closet male despiser, because of their dominance of so much and their presumed divine-right about everything, especially their view and experience of the world and religion. Oh you have opened up a buried can of worms here!
Thank you for sharing this Cathie. I’m really glad this piece was helpful. And what a lovely way of saying that…’reaching our humanity’… that’s what Pope Francis did so beautifully isn’t it.
Dear Vanessa, I do relate to your curious sense of unsettled-ness in the world over the last two months. Depressing, in many ways, until I read my experiences as challenges to my internalised misogyny.
For this reason, it’s so helpful to read your plunges into the women of the Bible. I ran away from all that biblical prose long ago because it felt like a long hairy wagging finger.
But now, through your stories, I can see how these women’s lives show ways of living powerfully. Which is what Andre Lorde does so well too. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing this Terri. Yes, it’s hard to get past that long hairy wagging finger…!
This is just absolutely gorgeous, Vanessa. The language you've found here is welcoming, eloquent, 'down to earth,' and finely honed at once. I am so glad you are writing and sharing with us.
Thanks so much for saying this Adam.
Just reading this looking out at the hills of Kilmalieu. So much to think on but such a heart response from reading. How women's voices and hearts have been so unheard and undervalued. I come across it so much in my work with women of faith.
What a beautiful thought…that such a piece would be read in such a place…a place that did always allow space for me to FEEL…! Thank you C. And I was always particularly moved by the silences of the women in Glasgow when we worked there. I’ll never forget the moments when the men quietened down and began to really listen to those amazing women.
Thank you, Vanessa! So many emotions these past weeks due to....life and living. And several times told by men I was wrong or to not express opinions/feelings as strongly or in a certain space. The culminating effect was self-questioning, despair, "I am wrong, wrong, wrong" and just can't anymore. Your phrase "internalized misogyny" I think is exactly what I was confronting when I finally laid in a grassy spot to feel Earth--cigarette butt strewn and traffic whizzing by--I felt Her eternal life holding mine. And Mary at Easter, always! Vulnerability, despair, emotion meeting resurrection--only deep calls to deep.
Beautifully written. Thank you Lee. I hope you find ways to really hold and honour those powerful emotional responses…in ways that allow the precious insights to emerge.
So beautiful, thank you, Vanessa. I saw Sharon yesterday: we walked and talked, and your name cropped up in a moment of gratitude! Yes, please, to more Bible stories of women, along with your commentary and ideas. I'm guessing you know Joan Chittister's A Litany Of Women For The Church? Makes me cry every time I read it!
Em I don’t know that book, but I shall find it! Let’s write something together one day. And I wish I could have been with you and Sharon for that walk! X
https://www.joanchittister.org/articles/litany-women-church
Thank you, Vanessa, for elevating this Mary's song. I want to come back and soak this in again soon.
Thanks for this Abby.