Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year C – April 7, 2019.

Readings: Is. 43:16-21; Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2.2-.4-5.6(3); 

Phil. 3:8-14 & Gospel Luke 8:1-11.

Theme: The Adulterous Woman & the Gender Question!

Introduction

Since the time of the Civil Rights Movement (mid-1950s) in the United States of America (USA) sparked off by the refusal of a black seamstress, Rosa Parks to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, public bus in 1955, the likes of Martin Luther King Jr and other feminists have risen to the occasion to condemn in totality, the discrimination and marginalization of women. Today, the consistency with which biblical principles are used to either argue for or against the discrimination of women is baffling. The good news is that in today’s gospel, Jesus addresses the issue (of discrimination of women) squarely. In this reflection tilted: “The Adulterous Woman and the Gender Question,” we shall highlight background and summary of the readings, biblical examples of discrimination of women, factors responsible for discrimination of women, pastoral lessons, homiletic quotes to remember and conclusion.

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Is. 43:16-21) narrates how God delivered the people of Israel from their ordeal in Egypt. It equally tells how he urged the people not to brood over past events. On the contrary, he promised to do something new namely creating a road in the desert and rivers in wastelands. What is more, he notes that the wild animals would honour him for bestowing water in the land as well as the wastelands to the drinking pleasure of the chosen people. As a consequence, the reading states that, the elect would sing the praises of the Lord for his kindness.  

In the second reading (Phil. 3:8-14), St. Paul tells the Philippians that he has accepted the loss of everything for the sake of Christ. He charges that if only he can find Christ, every other thing is filth. He maintained that he has gained uprightness not form the Law but from Christ based on faith and the power of the resurrection as he partakes in the passion. He noted that he is still struggling to win the prize for which Christ has called him. He emphasized that what is at stake is forgetting what is behind him in order to forge ahead to the finishing point to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.  

The Gospel (Luke 8:1-11) recalls how the Scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman whom they allegedly caught in the act of adultery while Jesus was teaching in the Temple; after he had returned from the Mount of Olives. Making her stand in the middle of the crowd, they told Jesus that they wanted to know his position concerning the crime because in the Law of Moses, women of this kind were supposed to be stoned to death. We are told that they asked that question to put him to test.

But he bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. As they insisted in asking the question, he straightened up and said, he who has no sin should be the first to stone her; then he bent down and wrote for the second time; at that, they went away one by one, beginning from the eldest to the least leaving the women with Jesus. When he straightened up, he said, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No Sir” and Jesus said: “Neither do I condemn you…go away and from this moment sin no more.”  Apparently, the woman did not commit adultery alone but she was the only person who was caught and brought for condemnation and execution. There was no mention of the man. This brings us to the issue of discrimination of women.

Biblical Examples of Discrimination of Women

1. Susanna: The book of Daniel Chapter 13 reveals the story of a fair Hebrew woman by name Susanna who was falsely accused by two elders for sleeping with a young man. As she was bathing in her husband’s garden, she sent her attendants away. Just then, two lustful men secretly entered the garden and wanted to sleep with her but she resisted them. As a result, she shouted and they laid false accusation on her that they caught her committing adultery with a young man. They said, the young man was too strong for them that is why he escaped. It took the Spirit of God in Daniel to rescue the daughter of Abraham from their claws.

2. Mary Magdalene: Another woman who suffered discrimination in the hands of the Pharisees was Mary Magdalene, the prostitute who was exorcised of seven demons. When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw her washing Jesus’ feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume, he thought to himself: “If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner” (Cf. Luke 7:36-50). No doubt, the Pharisee’s statement was condemnatory!

3. The Woman of Samaria: The encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria (John 4:4-42) at Jacob’s well is one that relates to the discrimination of women. Little wonder the disciples wondered why Jesus was talking to a woman in public. 

4. Feeding of the Crowd: In the stories of the feeding of the four (Cf. Matthew 15:29-39) and five thousand (Cf. Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14) respectively, based on the Jewish culture, women and children were not counted – they didn’t matter. Yet, surprisingly, they would be more than men since women are naturally more religious than men.

Factors Responsible for Discrimination of Women

1. Cultural, Religious and Societal Norms: In Africa, Asia, the Middle East and other parts of the world, cultural, religious and social norms are often advanced as reasons for not giving women equal opportunities like their male counterparts. We must no mistake roles for rights. However, what often plays out is that while women labour a lot in terms of child-bearing, caring and providing for their families plus doing domestic chores, they are the ones who suffer the most in terms of sexual and domestic violence, educational backwardness and other such abuses. The excuse that is often given is, “our culture, religion and society” says “women are to be seen and not heard.”

Perhaps this is what leads to the forceful abduction and Islamization of girls in northern Nigeria. The case of a minor, Ese Duru who was abducted from Bayelsa in lieu of forceful Islamization is fresh in our minds.  How about that of late Ochanya Ogbanje, in Benue State, who was serially molested sexually by the male child and husband of her aunty leading to complications and eventual death? This is a huge challenge for Christians! 

2. Male Chauvinism:  The patriarchal nature of society has given men advantage over women such that evil men stretch male-chauvinism to its limits. In a situation where women are denied basic rights such as education or foods (like egg and chicken-gizzard) in some cultures in Africa, it is regrettable. In some societies, women cannot inherit property or even speak at family meetings. The male dominance has created a situation where women work like donkeys while some of the men are out there enjoying themselves. What is worrisome is that the mentality that a man is superior to a woman and owns her if she is married to him has further made polygamy a sweet option for some men – they can marry, divorce and remarry at will. This is another big challenge for Christianity!