Meet the courageous women of Scripture who refused to let impossibility have the final word. Their stories of faith, laughter, resistance, and holy surprises may change how you see your own calling. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJXS3N87
Who told you it was impossible?
Who told you that you were too old, too young, too ordinary, too outspoken, too wounded—or simply the wrong gender—for God to do something extraordinary through your life?
And when did you begin to believe them?
My journey with the courageous women of the Bible began many years ago, and they have become dear friends and spiritual companions along the way. In my earlier book, Praying with Women of the Bible, I invited readers to pray with these remarkable women, listen to their stories, and discover their wisdom for our daily lives. Now, in The Impossible Circle: Encounters with Holy Women in the Bible, I return to their stories with an even deeper appreciation for their courage, humor, faith, and holy boldness.
Over the years, as I followed my own call to priesthood and experienced both the joys and struggles of challenging unjust barriers in the Church, I came to recognize more of my own story in theirs. Like Sarah, I have laughed at holy surprises. Like Martha, I have questioned God. Like Mary Magdalene, I have felt called to proclaim good news even when others were not ready to hear it. And like these women, I have learned that the Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of opening doors that others insist must remain closed!
Both books grew out of my love for these extraordinary women and my conviction that their voices still speak powerfully to us today. The first invited us to pray with them. This new book invites us to pull up a chair, enter their circle, and discover that their stories are also our stories. Their courage is our inheritance, their faith is our inspiration, and their unfinished work of Gospel equality is now in our hands.
And, thank God, these women were not perfect! Neither am I—and believe me, that is no secret! Just ask anyone who knows me well. They will be happy to confirm it, probably with a few stories I would prefer they keep to themselves! But isn’t that the wonderful thing about God? Divine Love doesn’t wait for us to become perfect before calling us to do extraordinary things. Otherwise, I suspect heaven would have a very long waiting list!
Sarah laughed when God’s promise seemed ridiculous.
Hagar discovered that God saw her when everyone else had abandoned her.
Miriam danced her way into freedom.
Ruth crossed boundaries of culture and belonging for love.
Martha questioned Jesus and made a profound confession of faith.
Mary Magdalene proclaimed the Resurrection.
Phoebe served as a deacon, Junia was recognized among the apostles, and Lydia opened her home to a growing Christian community.
These were women of courage, wisdom, humor, faith, and determination.
They questioned. They argued. They grieved. They challenged expectations.
Sometimes they even challenged Jesus!
And sometimes they simply got on with doing what needed to be done while others were still discussing whether women should be allowed to do it.
I particularly appreciate those women!
Why I Wrote This Book
Their stories are also part of my own story.
In 2006, I was ordained a Roman Catholic woman priest aboard a riverboat in Pittsburgh.
According to official Church teaching and canon law, my ordination was impossible.
There was only one problem.
The Holy Spirit kept calling.
Apparently, She had not read the rulebook!
I loved my Catholic faith, the Eucharist, and the people I served. I believed that our baptism makes us equals in Christ and that the Spirit calls people to ministry without regard to gender.
Eventually, I had to choose between waiting for institutional permission and trusting the voice of God within my heart.
I said yes.
That yes opened an extraordinary journey of grace, ministry, friendship, struggle, and holy surprises.
My journey taught me what these biblical women had already discovered:
Sometimes what looks impossible from inside an institution looks very different from inside a call.
Before There Was a Hierarchy, There Was a Woman with Good News
One of my favorite moments in the Gospels is Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the Risen Christ.
Jesus entrusted her with the most astonishing news in Christian history.
She went to the disciples and announced:
“I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18)
Before there were cathedrals, seminaries, chancery offices, or canon law books, there was a woman proclaiming Resurrection.
Jesus trusted Mary Magdalene with the message that changed the world.
Perhaps it is time for the Church to follow his example!
An Invitation to Join the Circle
In The Impossible Circle, I invite readers to meet these remarkable women as spiritual companions rather than distant figures in religious history.
Each encounter includes reflections on their lives, what they teach us today, and prayers and blessings for our own journeys.
Their stories speak to anyone who has ever been told that their dreams were unrealistic, their gifts were unwelcome, or their calling was impossible.
Sarah reminds us that we are never too old for holy surprises.
Hagar teaches us that Divine Love sees those the world overlooks.
Miriam invites us to dance in celebration of freedom.
Martha reminds us that questioning can be an expression of deep faith.
Mary Magdalene encourages us to proclaim good news even when others refuse to listen.
And Phoebe, Junia, Prisca, Lydia, and Thecla remind us that women have been leading, teaching, and building Christian communities from the beginning.
The circle also welcomes women of later centuries whose courage and spiritual wisdom continue to inspire us, including Brigid of Kildare, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Dorothy Day, and Thea Bowman.
Different centuries. Different circumstances.
The same Spirit.
There Is a Place for You in This Circle
My hope is that readers will discover something of their own sacred stories in the lives of these extraordinary women.
Perhaps you have walked through Hagar’s wilderness.
Perhaps you have laughed like Sarah at an unexpected possibility.
Perhaps you have stood with Martha in grief and asked God some difficult questions.
Perhaps, like Mary Magdalene, you have experienced new life after devastating loss.
Or perhaps you are hearing a call in your heart that simply will not go away.
This book is for you.
It is also for anyone who dreams of a more inclusive Church, where every sacred calling is honored, every person’s dignity is respected, and everyone is welcome at the table.
Come In. The Women Are Waiting!
I imagine the women of The Impossible Circle gathering around a great table.
Sarah is laughing.
Miriam has brought her tambourine.
Martha is probably wondering who is going to feed everybody.
Mary Magdalene has astonishing news.
Lydia has opened the door.
And the Holy Spirit?
She is already pulling up another chair!
Come as you are.
Bring your hopes, questions, doubts, dreams, laughter, tears, and holy restlessness.
There is room for all of it.
And there is room for you.
The Impossible Circle is waiting for you! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJXS3N87
I hope you will read it, share it with friends, discuss it in your faith communities or book groups, and discover the holy women who continue to inspire us.
May their stories remind us that Divine Love is never finished surprising us.
And may we always have the courage to say yes when the Spirit calls.
With love, joy, and blessings,
Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Author, and Co-founder of People’s Catholic Seminary
If this reflection touches your heart, please share it with someone who needs to hear that their story is not finished and that with Divine Love, new possibilities are always unfolding.
