Witches

In a correct and graceful way, I will say that women who make strong, indeed very strong friendships outside of home and marriage, that even require their husbands assent can be identified as a group of well storied heroines and be called witches.

A witch needs a home more than anyone on earth because, I think, she continually wants to share it with another woman, child, or even a man that desperately needs one.  She does in some ways, give that home away.  Such reckless behavior will be harshly condemned, unless family or husband takes on the job of being good to their now apparent neighbors.(Elizabeth of Hungary)

I can think of women in song, (Frank Sinatra), fairy tales, (Rapunzel), history, (Joan of Arc), biblical history,(Mary Magdalen), modern history, (Tasha Tudor), literature, (Una), heroic figures of modern time, (Mrs. Alan Shepard), religious literature, (Fatima), and tradition that could all be in the category of witches.

A witch is not of afraid to show great love and great compassion.  This is many times condemned by many who are content with mediocrity.  A witch surprises, frightens and challenges people who have become remiss, board, complacent.  There are people that can be unusually cruel to the casually heroic woman and it is really thus that such a woman is called a witch.

The emphasis, though, in naming a woman a witch, through the countless arts of tradition that capture the image and story of such a woman, as I do now, is positive.  A witch is a fighter and for all good men and woman, she wins the contest against coldheartedness, so well, as to be remembered long after the battle is won.

Biblical Heroines can be called witches.

The saintly woman of the Old Testament are witches.  Rebecca was the Waterloo of Esau and the Oracle for her son Jacob and an Enchantress for Isacc.  Queen Hester unleashed the fury of Olympus when she finished off the enemies of her husband.  Ester rewards her husband with the riches of Solomon at her gate.

These woman are not only beloved at home; they are awesome and terrible at work with the odds against their husbands and family in order to destroy them.

Witches of literature, history or fable are as wondrous as Joan of Arc, Rapunzel, or Mary Magdalen.  They love God twice.  Whoever it is that belongs to them has a second chance at life; not only according to Divine Providence, but Divine Justice.  As far as it goes, a witch is like a lawyer that being a woman, loves her mate and her clients and recognises the bond between them.

The bond between them is a raison d’etre of cause celebre.

A witch fights a battle that the Lord, is half surprised to find her fighting.  This is because she is attempting to be as generous with God as He is, has been, with her.

With zeal, I will be zealous for the Lord, prayed Saint Elias.  This woman has loved much, said the Lord.

Our religious tradition continually rewards the witches of the Old and New Testament.  They are zealous for the Lord and they do love much.  They are witches because they are powerful in that.  Woman are not perceived as powerful.  When they act in such a way that they are recognised as powerful, they can be called witches.  This is a wholely honest critique of woman’s place in the world as we have known it since the days of the saints.