Answering God's call
We celebrate the example of Mary and all women who have answered God's call. We ask Mary's intercession to help us bring about a better world.
Mili Badrunnessa is proud of her work empowering women to take on leadership roles.
“Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant. ”
What does it mean to be great? We are often led to believe that greatness lies in recognition, power, success, wealth and possessions. But in today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that true greatness is love and service of others
Mili Badrunnessa works with our partner organisation, the Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development. She supports a network of trained group leaders in sixty eco-villages. Part of her work is empowering women to take on leadership roles.
"Our women leaders know a lot and are able to teach others,” says Mili, “and they have good relationships with the local administration – they’ve reached a point where they operate as true community leaders and this makes me immensely proud.”
Mili and her colleagues serve the women who, in turn, serve their communities. This International Women’s Day, we think of all the women across the world whose leadership and service are rooted in love for their communities. Women who may not always be recognised and celebrated, but who show the true greatness Jesus speaks of today.
Lent prayer
Gracious God,
we pray for women around the world.
We thank you for their resilience in the face of challenges,
for their care of others and our common home
and for their service and leadership.
Amen.
Act
On International’s Women’s Day we thank God for all women making a difference in the world and ask for Mary’s intercession as we seek to answer God’s call.