By Stanislaus Alla
New Delhi, Jan 7, 2023: Three wise-men -we have heard of them
Surely the Catholics among us, if not all Christians
And, as the story goes, they came from the East
With gifts that are prized, precious and symbolic
They saw an unusual star and allowed it to direct them
To the manger where the divine kissed the fragile human
But what about WISE-WOMEN….
Haven’t they come to touch him,
and to be tenderly touched by him
then, at Bethlehem, or thereafter?
At the hearing of the odd phrase ‘wise-women’ many will chuckle
As we are still not accustomed to add the prefix WISE to WOMEN
That too, in spite of seeing, living with and loved by many women
who have been wonderfully thoughtful and wise, humble and holy
Therefore, on the Feast of Epiphany
isn’t it good to think of wise-women as well, not just wise-men?
The many women who have been at the crossroads of our lives
Offering advice or giving direction or gently goading us to shift gears
Those without whom we cannot imagine how we would have found the path.
Many there are, in the world, in history, in millions, who, equal to men
Are astonishingly capable of seeking the Lord, and speaking of revelation!
Hence, on this Feast Day
Let us recall the many women who reveal and reflect the Face of the Lord
And the divine qualities they embody, of care and courage, sacrifice and love!
Jesus paid glowing tribute to the WISE WOMEN attendants (cf Mat 25:1-13). But how about recognising their wisdom and other qualities, to ordain them as priests?