As time continues we emerge into 2025. Often we start the year with enthusiasm and positive energy, that – let’s be honest – can quickly fade as routine begins and challenges emerge. That is okay. It is good to look to improve, to seek the positive, to strive to be our best self.
It is human to seek inspiration and examples and words of wisdom. Currently, I am reading ‘The Let Them Theory’ by Mel Robbins and finding it insightful for my own approach and ways of dealing with the drama inherent in human interactions.
We need to make sure we give time to considering those who inspire us spiritually. I find myself drawn to Mary, the mother of Jesus, whose “yes” to God’s plan embodies courage, trust, and hope for the unknown. In her response to the angel at the Annunciation—“Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38)—we see the ultimate act of faith, a posture of openness to God’s will. For me, as a Catholic woman, her example becomes the lens through which I enter this new year.
Another inspirational woman, St. Teresa of Avila, reminds us, “Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.” This challenges me to ask: How will I embody Christ’s love this year? How will I bring His light into the spaces where darkness lingers?
As women, we are often the heart of our families, workplaces, and communities, carrying burdens and joys with quiet resilience. Women are often the carriers of culture and tradition. I pause and contemplate the aspects of culture that I am bound to carry – am I celebrating my own culture in a way that allows it to be passed on to the next generation so that the lessons and learnings of the past enhance the tomorrow that is always on the horizon.
The new year offers a sacred threshold—a chance to leave behind what weighs us down and step into God’s abundant mercy. In the spirit of Psalm 51:10, we pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” This is not just a personal plea but a communal one, a call for renewal in our world so desperately in need of healing. It is almost like an annual mini rite of passage – acknowledging the past and stepping into the next stage. What will you leave behind and what will you carry with you?
As I enter this year, I commit to embracing each day as a gift and an opportunity to reflect God’s love. I intend to act with intention as well as compassion, to carve out my own path (whilst listening for God’s navigation) and to be brave – for the reality is – I exist in a world that lacks fairness. With Mary’s trust, Teresa’s boldness, and the quiet strength of so many holy women who have come before us, I step into this new season with hope.
The Female Theologian 