Everyone knows the fate of that woman
caught in adultery: she will be stoned to death, as prescribed by the law[1].
No one speaks about the adulterous man involved. As always happens in a
machista society, the woman gets condemned and the man gets excused. The
challenge to Jesus is confrontational: Now in the law, Moses commanded us to
stone such women. So what do you say? Jesus does not suffer lightly such social
hypocrisy that is fed by arrogance. Such sentence to death does not come
from God. With admirable simplicity and audacity, Jesus brings all at once
truth, justice and compassion in the judgment of the adulterous woman “Let the
one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” The
accusers go away in shame. They know that they are the ones most responsible
for the adulteries committed in that society. Then, Jesus addresses the woman
who has just escaped execution and tells her, with great tenderness and
respect, “Neither do I condemn you”. He, then, encourages her to turn her being
forgiven into a starting point for a new life: “Go, and from now on do not sin
anymore”. That is how Jesus is. Finally, there is someone in the world who has
not allowed any oppressive law or power to condition him, someone free and magnanimous
who never hated or condemned, never returned evil for evil. There is more truth
and justice in his defense and forgiveness of this adulterous woman than in our
resentful demands and condemnations. We Christians have not yet been capable of
drawing out all the implications that Jesus’ liberating action, in the face of
the oppression endured by women, encloses. Coming from a Church led and
inspired mostly by men, we do not get it right with regard to being cognizant
of all the injustices that women keep suffering in all areas of life. What is
certain is that twenty centuries later, in countries of Christian roots
supposedly, we continue to live in a society where women are frequently not
able to move freely without fear of men. Rape, physical abuse, humiliation are
not imaginary. On the contrary, they are one of the most deeply rooted acts of
violence and the one that brings about more suffering. Should the suffering of
women not echo more vividly and more concretely in our communities? Above all,
do we not need to be closer to every oppressed woman in order to denounce
abuses, provide intelligent defense and effective protection? Let us think about it. Our Holy Father invites us to do so: «We may
think that we give glory to God only by our worship and prayer, or simply by
following certain ethical norms. It is true that the primacy belongs to our
relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on
which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others. Prayer is most
precious, for it nourishes a daily commitment to love. Our worship becomes
pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to living generously, and allow God’s
gift, granted in prayer, to be shown in our concern for our brothers and sisters»[2] Holy Father goes further: « Those who really wish to give glory to God by
their lives, who truly long to grow in holiness, are called to be single-minded
and tenacious in their practice of the works of mercy. Saint Teresa of Calcutta
clearly realized this: “Yes, I have many human faults and failures… But God
bends down and uses us, you and me, to be his love and his compassion in the
world; he bears our sins, our troubles and our faults. He depends on us to love
the world and to show how much he loves it. If we are too concerned with
ourselves, we will have no time left for others»[3]
• AE
[1] JN 8:1-11.
[2] Evangelii Gaudium, n. 104.
[3] Idem, n.
107.
Picture: Pope Francis gives Sister Maria Concetta Esu an
award for her tireless work as a missionary midwife in Africa over the past 60
years.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario