~Archbishop Fulton Sheen
What happened? What happened to the true and authentically beautiful, not judged by the worldly standards of pleasure and goodness? If I may be so bold, I will ask this; did beauty change, or did we change? Have our standards been warped? Since beauty is truth and truth remains a constant, one explanation remains, our hearts have been hardened against beauty.
In this age of feminism vs. femininity in which men are emasculated every day in the name of "strong womanhood", it is no wonder our men don't know what it means to be a man in the truest sense. Nor our women, for that matter.
There was a time when a man was a man and stood up for women. Not just when his mother criticized her cooking or when his buddies made inappropriate remarks, but in his every action and thought. He held doors for her, stood when she entered the room, he even refrained from putting the two of them in situations that could lead the two of them to impurity. He upheld her dignity and protected her, even if that meant protecting her from himself.
Now, I'm not writing this to complain about our men today, nor to turn my nose up at them. I don't intend to write a long and abrasive attack on men. On the contrary actually! Besides, men aren't the only problem. What on the good earth happened to us, ladies? There was a time when we knew our worth. We knew the power we have over men and didn't seek to use it to manipulate or tempt. We used to inspire men to be men of God.
Most importantly, we knew that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us, giving all of himself so that we may live, men and women alike! The creator of the universe thought/thinks we are worth dying for but some mere "men" think women are to be used as an object of pleasure, not worth committing their entire lives to, and *GASP* certainly not guarding her virtue!
I will suggest though, that our hearts are not completely turned off to this authentic beauty and gracefulness. Not yet. If they were, we wouldn't look at women like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly and sigh in reverence.
In this age of feminism vs. femininity in which men are emasculated every day in the name of "strong womanhood", it is no wonder our men don't know what it means to be a man in the truest sense. Nor our women, for that matter.
There was a time when a man was a man and stood up for women. Not just when his mother criticized her cooking or when his buddies made inappropriate remarks, but in his every action and thought. He held doors for her, stood when she entered the room, he even refrained from putting the two of them in situations that could lead the two of them to impurity. He upheld her dignity and protected her, even if that meant protecting her from himself.
Now, I'm not writing this to complain about our men today, nor to turn my nose up at them. I don't intend to write a long and abrasive attack on men. On the contrary actually! Besides, men aren't the only problem. What on the good earth happened to us, ladies? There was a time when we knew our worth. We knew the power we have over men and didn't seek to use it to manipulate or tempt. We used to inspire men to be men of God.
Most importantly, we knew that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us, giving all of himself so that we may live, men and women alike! The creator of the universe thought/thinks we are worth dying for but some mere "men" think women are to be used as an object of pleasure, not worth committing their entire lives to, and *GASP* certainly not guarding her virtue!
I will suggest though, that our hearts are not completely turned off to this authentic beauty and gracefulness. Not yet. If they were, we wouldn't look at women like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly and sigh in reverence.
Notice the successful modern romance films, (as silly as they may be.) They wouldn't possess recurring themes of sacrificial love and patient waiting for the beloved if we didn't know it to be true in our heart of hearts what beauty and love really is. Gasps wouldn't be released at the sight of a pure blushing bride behind her veil. Smiles wouldn't be worn by those who turn to look at the giant grin of awe on the face of the proud groom. No, we cannot have lost our sense of the truth.
I leave you with the word of Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett, "You have bewitched me body and soul and I love, I love, I love you."
Ladies, know the effect you have on men. Men, know our worth and honor it.
Bridget Ann
So true, thank you. People seriously and simply need to read this.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU! Spread the word, friend.
ReplyDelete