Edith Stein was an atheist in a Jewish family.
She was a woman undeterred from pursuing a man's' profession: "The world does not need what women have; it needs what women are."
She was, fundamentally, a lover and pursuer of truth, no matter where it would lead: "Do not accept anything as love which lacks truth. Do not accept anything as truth which lacks love."
She ultimately died in Auschwitz as a Carmelite religious, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, joyful and grateful to have fallen in love not only with truth, but with Him who is the Truth, the Way, the Life.
The concept of "feminine genius," a phrase coined by St John Paul II, originated in the work of Dr Edith Stein. But rather than the reductive, self-helpy, "fauxpowerment" that is often presented by secular and Catholic sources alike, feminine genius ultimately has nothing to do with feeling beautiful or being a girl boss or constantly boosting self-esteem or gaining access to whatever men have.
Feminine genius is Edith Stein. It is the unique way that women make self-gift and live out holiness, which is the universal human call. We should know and contemplate the full and beautiful reality of womanhood, but not so women can merely feel good about themselves or give each other circular affirmation. Feminine genius is the particular and necessary way that women do what all human persons are made to do: empty ourselves of self so we may be filled increasingly with love of God and others:
Thank you, dear sister, for your great yes to Jesus.
And thank you for this:"And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him."
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross' feast day is August 9.
P.S. You can read St Teresa Benedicta's own words in her many writings. A wonderful starting point is Essays on Woman, her collected essays on feminine genius. She also wrote essays on the cross and about her life in a Jewish family. Her collected works are organized into a series on 11 volumes.
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