“I Thirst”: Women Who Testify

“Jesus said, ‘I thirst’” (John 19:28).

BOLD WOMEN: PRESENCE AND PASSION AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS

Catholic Women in Business’ Lenten Theme

On reflecting on and discussing Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, the Catholic Women in Business leadership team saw a common theme: women. In the New Testament, we read of bold women who encountered Jesus and were forever changed. These women boldly spoke to him, boldly loved him, and boldly took his message into their communities. This Lent, our writers will be exploring this theme in their articles. Share how you are carrying your cross boldly and passionately in our Facebook group!

Mother Teresa’s vision to help the poorest of the poor began with a profound experience of Our Lord’s words on the Cross: “I thirst.” From that vision came a global movement.

The woman at the well (John 4:5-42) satisfied Jesus’ thirst, asked Him questions, and sought a greater understanding for herself — and Jesus patiently obliged her. Then, He changed her life.

And what happened? An entire town was converted “because of the word of the woman who testified.”

Mother Teresa was a woman who testified. We can quench Jesus’ thirst for us and our love by being women who testify — women who, by our cheerful witness of sacrifice on behalf the most vulnerable, may bring our towns, communities, nation, and the world to know that Our Lord “truly is the savior of the world.”

“I’m Thirsty”

It sounds like a big ask — because it is. But that’s only due to the myriad small ways we fail every day. When my child says to me, “I’m thirsty,” my husband and I are both working from home, and I’m facing down two different deadlines, how do I answer? How do I deal with demanding clients when I think they’re making too big a deal out of a minor issue? If my response is some form of an exasperated, “You’re not thirsty” … well, imagine if that had been the response of the woman at the well to Christ.

I’m not saying I give my kids whatever they want, whenever they want. But I can look deeper, just as Christ does when he addresses the woman at the well and tells her everything she’s ever done. My son or daughters may not be thirsty for milk, juice, or water (since they more than likely have a half-full cup somewhere around the house as we speak).  Clients may focus on a particular issue for reasons I know nothing about. They might be thirsty for my attention, for affection, for the feeling that someone cares about them.

The worst thing I can do is to tell a child who tells me they’re thirsty that they’re not thirsty. For one thing, it teaches them to mistrust their own bodily cues and autonomy in the event that they actually do need a drink (so says my therapist, anyway). Moreover, a short-tempered dismissal of their needs — however frivolous — teaches them short-tempered dismissiveness of others’ needs.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a cut-and-dried, one-size-fits-all approach for dealing with a thirsty kid who definitely isn’t thirsty or a stubborn client.  When confronted with these small situations that form the stumbling block to my cheerful witness, I try to remember to pray for wisdom, invite the Holy Spirit into the situation, and do a quick mental check-in with Jesus. Then, I have to trust. I need to trust that my response will be a patient witness of love to my children and my clients. I have to die to myself for just an instant to reach the root of the request, “I thirst.”

“Only With Difficulty…”

As Christians, we are called to be imitators of Christ, to take up our cross and die to ourselves. Romans 5:7 tells us, “Only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.” We are called to die to ourselves for the sake of others, just as Christ “died at the appointed time for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

Whatever we are doing right now — working, raising children, sheltering in place — is hard! Doing it cheerfully? Some days (OK, most days), it seems impossible. That’s when we ask for God’s grace and lean into the rich treasury of gifts available to us as Catholics: say a rosary, call on our guardian angel, say the St. Michael Prayer.

Before you know it, you’re answering Christ’s thirst in your self-denying treatment of others. Like Mother Teresa and the woman at the well, you become a woman who testifies and lives the kerygma.

“Go Home and Love Your Families”

Mother Teresa is often (mis)quoted as saying, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” It’s almost a cliche at this point. That’s too bad, because it’s a devastating request. Love is hard. It’s dying to self. It’s martyrdom.

We can be tempted to look at other people with bigger platforms, doing apparently world-changing things, and to minimize our own work. What if the Enemy knows precisely how important the “little” things are that we do at home and around the office for the people who are closest to us? Maybe, he wants us to think we’re worthless and we don’t measure up.

Mother Theresa soldiered on, loving the poorest of the poor, for years, trusting in God and relying on prayer, despite decades of spiritual aridity. We don’t have to despair in ourselves or our work if we put our trust and hope in God. In the words of one of my favorite pieces of street art (perhaps because it reminds me of the theme song from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), “Women are stronger than hell.”

Maggie Phillips is a freelance writer and military spouse with three small children and an incredibly patient husband. Follow her work at mrsmaggiephillips.com and on Instagram at @maggies_words.