5th Sunday in Lent, March 13, 2016

Written by Fr. Fitz Thursday, 10 March 2016 13:45

...the things of long ago consider not; see I am doing something new...

Yes indeed! Something new!

Isaiah foretold something new, and Jesus fulfills his word.

Recently we had the story of the Samaritan woman who had lived with 5 men. Yet Jesus encountered her and sent her as a messenger of good news!

He would do the same with Mary of Magdala after his resurrection.

And so today, Jesus cofronts the self righteous and hypocritical elder men who cast down the woman caught in adultery. No sign of the male adulterer for no punishment was due to him, only to the woman.

And according to Mosaic law, she was to be stoned to death. So these men even had the law on their side.

 But Jesus confronts them and overturns the customery law.

Some scholars conjecture he even traced out the men's sins on the ground with his finger.

The double standard is as old as Moses and as new as today.

Think about it it was only in the 1900's that women were allowed to vote.

And as recent as 2016, women's wages fall short of men who occupy similiar positions.

It is a powerful image in toody's church when scores of men stand behind the altar and concelebrate the mass.

But back in the shaows stand so many women who do most of the church work.

They are secretaries, musicians,religious educators, theologians, spiritual directors. The whole structure would collapse without them.

 The restoration of the ancient deaconate has opened up new channels of grace for our church. In my own diocese there ae now more married deacons than priests. And by the way none of the deacons have been charged with any sexual abuse. Not so the priests.

Reputable women theologians ave pointed out that in the early church there were female deacons who assisted with females who were baptized by immersion.

Today a woman runs for president. Ought this be a time when the Church puts new wine into new wine skins,and ordains women deacons?

 "the things of long ago, consider not, see, I am doing something new!" Isaiah

And so we pray:

God bless so many women who serve the church and humanity.

Raise them up in dignity.

as Jesus taught us by word and action.

Amen