There is a reason that the feminine pronoun is used to reference the Church, and much has to do with Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. This does not mean that the Church is a woman, but the feminine genius does belong to the Church. That unique genius of the feminine is the active receptivity toward God, or being able to pray “Totus Tuus” to God. The following prayer, “Totally Yours,” written by Saint Maximilian Kolbe (and recited by Pope John Paul II) might help illuminate some reasons:
Immaculate Conception, Mary, my Mother.
Live in me. Act in me. Speak in and through me.
Think your thoughts in my mind. Love, through my heart.
Give me your dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide me to Jesus.
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior.
Possess my soul. Take over my entire personality and life.
Replace it with yourself.
Incline me to constant adoration and thanksgiving.
Pray in me and through me.
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
The Church is the one to “teach, lead and guide me to Jesus” just as Mary is the perfect model who does this for all of us. In part this is why we refer to Mary as Mother of the Church. If the Church is understood as the Body of Christ, then Mary giving birth to the Church would make sense from a mystical perspective. Furthermore to help me in my relationship with God, I imagine the Church with feminine qualities—the one who makes possible my own re-birth in Christ.
When a person mystically experiences belonging to the Body of Christ, the Church, that person undergoes a transformation, called metanoia. This means that the person experiences a conversion of mind and heart. In other words, the whole person is born anew, never to return to that previous way (This is due in part to the indelible sacramental mark of Baptism and Confirmation). The late, great Pope John Paul II beautifully knew of the radical impact this conversion has on a person. The Pope reflects deeply in his prayer to Mary (see prayer above as just one example). JPII’s fondness for our Blessed Mother is well documented, yet perhaps underappreciated for what his relationship with her meant for the rest of us.
Much of my personal understanding comes from the reality that I not only see with eyes of faith, but I listen for God throughout all aspects of my life. Though all the music I hear is not explicitly “religious,” if the music evoke beauty, then God is most certainly singing to me. One particular song that I heard God sing to me was through this song, “Never Going Back Again” by Lindsey Buckingham:
She broke down and let me in
Made me see where I've been
Been down one time
Been down two times
I'm never going back again
You don't know what it means to winCome down and see me again
Been down one time
Been down two times
I'm never going back again
God is singing to me about my relationship with the Church. When I mystically perceive the Church, I see the feminine genius at work. So I connect our Blessed Mother, Mary Ever-Virgin, to the Church, and my relationship with the Church and thus God becomes clear.
She pitied me and loved me
Helped me see where I’ve been.
I’ve been down one time.
I’ve been down two times.
I’m never going back again.
Having experienced the loving embrace of Mother Church, I am never going back to a life without her. She has possessed my soul, taken over my personality and my life. Because she let me in, she lives in me and I in her. She acts in me and I act in her. My thoughts are to be her thoughts, and I pray that she loves through my heart.
