A term “woman’s genius” was used for the first time by John Paul II during the sermon to textile workers in Łódź (Poland) in 1987. Although this expression was adopted in the apostolic letter Mulieris dignitatem (15 VIII 1988) only twice, the Pope provided an extensive explanation of it. This is woman’s special and inherent sensibility towards a human being, in whom she sees a person, and towards God. Because “Christ’s way of acting, the Gospel of His words and deeds, is a consistent protest against whatever offends the dignity of women” (n. 15). They who are close to Him discover themselves in their person dignity. A woman, and what is more a “sinful woman”, becomes a “disciple” of His. Christ speaks to women about the things of God, and they understand them; there is a true resonance of mind and heart, a response of faith. The Lord expresses appreciation and admiration for this distinctly “feminine” response – a meditative dimension of woman’s genius indeed. In the same way Mother of Jesus “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). This meditative dimension of feminine sensitivity to the person of God and man is fully revealed in Her.

According to John Paul II, contemporary Europe suffers from horizontalism and needs opening to Transcendence. Horizontalism as anthropological and existential reductionism is mainly manifested in the loss of hope and in the lack of recognition for the transcendental character of human nature as the personalizing factor. Meanwhile, spirituality as anthropological fact finds its full expression in Christianity. Christian spirituality as the one, which is based on personalism, and is both christocentric and deeply human, is able to restore the balance of outlook in European society by making it sensitive to personal transcendence.hiddenness (in kenotic form) is a necessary condition at least for the development of the human being as a free and moral person.

The analysis of St. Paul’s life and his teaching leads to a conclusion that his mystical experience was the source of his active evangelization. Mystical experience is the highest state of spiritual life which depends on a person’s union with Christ. It is the result of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It should not be considered as something extraordinary, but as “the high-class of ordinary Christian life” (cf. NMI 31). In the Bible we have two descriptions of spiritual events of Paul the Apostle, which according to the theology of mysticism, is a special kind of mystical experience. This experience usually followed his missionary trips. Both his mystical vision near Damascus (Acts 9, 1–19), and “catching up to paradise” in 2 Cor 12, 1–11 not only entirely changed his life morally and spiritually, but made him from a persecutor into a zealous apostle. Moreover, he was given the infused knowledge of Christian truths. Therefore the Apostle of Nations just after his conversion, before meeting St. Peter and others Apostles in Jerusalem, without any theological studies, started to proclaim the Resurrection of Christ and taught about redemption, fulfilled by His passion and death on the Cross. His original teaching was the doctrine about the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ. He received it from Jesus near Damascus directly when he had heard: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” By these words Christ identified himself with the Church. St. Paul’s love of Christ in way exceeded his faith, so he treated God’s love as the sense of human life. His mystical inspirations led him to active evangelization, and he also teaches about human body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. According to the teachings of the Carmelite Doctors of the Church (St. John of the Cross and St. Therese of Jesus), in mystical experience a Christian is changed into Christ, according to Galatians 2, 20. His spiritual anthropology is based on the conversion of an “old” man. It reflects in the mystical experience as a passive cleaning of senses and spirit. St. Paul’s mystical experience is the source of his whole missionary activity. This mystical mission was based on Christ’s calling, infused knowledge and merciful love. Mystically united with Christ, St. Paul accepted his salvational mission. He became a splendid example of missionary spirituality. As John Paul II teaches in encyclical Redemptoris missio, it is expressed “in the fullness of life in the Holy Spirit”, which makes us internally similar to Christ (No. 87). Following this, only a mystic, according to Paul, can evangelize effectively. It proves all the great missionaries, relating evangelization with personal sanctification.

The scientific exchange between the Institute of Spirituality of Catholic University of John Paul II in Lublin and the Journal of Religious Science SOTER lasts for over five years. It produced 16 articles (3 in the SOTER, 12 in the “Homo meditans” and one in “Duchowość w Polsce”) as well as two qualification reviews for a doctoral degree and two for professorship. It is a pleasant occasion to strengthen the cooperation and to develop common research projects. The millennial Christian tradition in Poland and in Lithuania contains the huge heritage which requires studying and knowing, after the recovery of the full sovereignty of both nations and the entrance to the structures of European Union. Thus we will not only enrich our faith but also strengthen our Christian and national identity, both Polish and Lithuanian people.