allows the devotion necessary for the nurture of that person and all those persons entrusted to her care.
Kenosis = absolute self giving
woman's self-emptying is the only means to be receptive to love
At this point in the exploration of woman's perceptive vision it is important to recall the Church
teaching on kenosis that Balthasar termed “absolute self-giving”. In order to fully understand the link
between a woman's “Tabor vision” and God's “safekeeping” we must understand the notion of kenosis.
What is kenosis? It is best expressed in St Paul's Letter to the Philippians referring to the incarnation
itself. Paul describes this self-emptying as the attitude of Christ: “coming in human likeness; and found
human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross”(Phil 2:
7-8).
St. Paul also clearly expects the faithful to follow their redeemer
in this abasement and even exhorts them to find joy in the
sacrificial service of the faith: “if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my
joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and
share your joy with me”(Phil 2:12-18). This is the paradox of
kenosis, that we find exaltation in self-giving.
This concept in Catholic theology of “absolute self-giving” has a particular aspect for a woman.
According to Fr. Richard Fragomeni, a member of the Catholic Theological Union, “The origin of an
ancient word for woman actually means generous.”39 (the Greek term gunē may the root to which he
was referring.)In the scriptures Christ even chose the specific example of childbirth to describe this
paradox: “When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has
39
Fr. Richard Fragomeni on September 27, 2014 at “A Good News Event: Sharing the Joy of the Gospel”, presented by
the Diocese of Syracuse Faith Formation Office
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