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BUT
HOW CAN THIS COME ABOUT?
On
this last Sunday of Advent, we read the story of how God intervened in human
history through the faith and courage of one woman. Confronted by the message of
the Angel Gabriel that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary could only
wonder aloud: “But how can this come about?”
Humanly speaking, it was impossible
for her to bear a child, since she was a virgin.
But the Angel said: “The
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you
with its shadow.” A seemingly impossible
situation is about to be made possible
by the intervention of God. But for this to happen, the Almighty God has to
count on the cooperation of a humble woman named Mary.
In
order for us to appreciate better God’s choice of Mary, it is helpful for us
to have a general picture of how women were treated and regarded among the Jews
in Jesus’ time. Women at this time were regarded as pieces of property to be
owned and disposed of by men as the men deemed fit. In courts of law, the
testimony of a woman was not admissible. Every morning, a Jewish man would thank
God that, among other things, he was not a woman!
It
was one of these people, the “rejects of society” if you like, that God
chose to be the Mother of His Son. This was certainly an amazing decision, a
truly countercultural move. It is as if God wanted to demonstrate, in a very
clear manner, the place and importance of women in society. And so it is very
true that great blessings await any society that seeks through its Constitution
and its implementation to deliberately protect and enhance the rights of women!
Wherever they find themselves, women have always endeavoured to bring forth
Christ, the Saviour of the world.
In
countries where there have been wars, women and children have always been the
most badly affected victims. We always see pictures of refugee women taking
flight, covering long distances on foot, with small children on their backs and
in their hands. We thank God that Zambia has been a peaceful country and we pray
that this will remain the case for the future. True as that might be, however,
we too have been fighting political, cultural and economic wars. And like in
most wars, women have been the most affected.
On
the political front, we continue to see women being used to further the
political ends of politicians. When important decisions are being made, women
are rarely consulted, except of course those who agree with the powers that be.
On the other hand, we continue to see the shameful spectacle of women singing
and dancing for our politicians. On the economic
front, the monthly JCTR Basic Needs Basket (BNB) continues to register an
increase in the amounts of money required to maintain an average family in
Zambia. While the cost of living continues to skyrocket, the monthly income for
most women remains the same, if not non- existent. Again, it is the women that
have to bring food to the table at the end of the day, find money to take the
sick child to the hospital and meet a thousand other needs. In this war, women
and children are the worst hit!
One
day I was taking a walk with my brother when we came upon an old woman with a
baby on her back, one piece of luggage on her head, and two more in her hands.
My sense of justice was not at all amused at the sight. Here was a clear case of
injustice against women. What man could let a woman carry that entire luggage?
While I was thinking of a hundred articles and research findings that I could
quote to condemn this sort of thing, my brother silently walked over to the old
woman and offered to help carry some of her luggage! As we come to the close of
this season of Advent, the coming Christ is inviting all of us to do more than
just write papers and holding workshops to highlight the problems facing women
and children. It is time to act. While we may not be able to help all the women
and children, we certainly can do something to help the few that are within our
reach.
Let
us not get tired of praying and working for a Constitution that will seek to
protect and promote women and children in our society. Perhaps as we look at the
momentous task that awaits us, we might want to say, like Mary, “How can this
be, since we do not have enough resources?” But
with God’s loving help and our strong cooperation, all things are possible!
Questions
for Reflection and Sharing in Small Christian Communities
- Can we identify at least two major problems that women
and children in our community have to contend with? What causes these
problems?
- As we look at our many problems we are led to wonder
with Mary, “But how can this be?” At Christmas, however, we celebrate
the good news that God is at work in our world to bring about a more humane
society. What can we do as individuals and communities to be a part of this
process of bringing to birth this Sun of Justice, Peace, Love and
Reconciliation?
- We all need good laws to guide us in our country. How
can we help in this Constitution-making process so that the final draft will
bring unity, love and peace to all Zambians?
Sketch
Have
two families. In the first, both
parents usually make all the decisions together and the family is living
happily, enjoying regular meals, and the children are able to go to school. In
the second family, only one parent makes household decisions alone, the family
usually goes without food and some children have dropped out of school,
particularly the girl child.
Community
prayers
- Lord, bless all the women and children of our
communities and in the world and may the example of Mary our mother be their
constant guide and inspiration. Lord,
hear our prayer! Lord,
graciously hear us!
- Lord, look over all the men and give them hearts of
understanding so that they may be able to understand and appreciate the
works done by women and children. Lord,
hear our prayer! Lord,
graciously hear us!
- Lord, help
us to cooperate with your grace in our efforts to bring forth a better
Constitution, a better future for all Zambians. Lord, hear our prayer! Lord,
graciously hear us!
[Jesuit
Centre for Theological Reflection, P.O. Box 37774, 10101 Lusaka, Zambia]
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