By Sr. Laura Coughlin
Today is International Day for
the Elimination of Violence against Women. Since experience is the best teacher, I felt
challenged in writing on this topic because I have not in my lifetime been
victimized by violence against my person.
A great many perspectives are available from the internet that explain
the causes of violence against women and propose solutions. These include evaluations of gender
inequalities and the way in which war increases the experience of rape among
women and girls. Such information also
frequently addresses the effects of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as of mental
illness, on the experience of violence among women and children in the home.
While eliminating violence against women should not simply be a matter
of pointing the finger at men, it is nonetheless true that most domestic
violence, as well as many crimes committed in wartime, are initiated by men
against women, and often also against children in the care of women.
Although somewhat knowledgeable about the statistics, I cannot address
the sociological perspectives mentioned above because I lack the expertise to
do so. What I can contribute, however,
is my perspective on who Jesus Christ is, as a man exemplary to other men. This perspective is valuable because where a
man’s anger intersects with genuine conversion, the potency of inflicted
suffering is not only managed and reduced, but nullified.
So what do we find in Jesus that might call out the conversion of men
who harm women, and often enough by extension, also harm children? Here are seven perspectives on that
question that are supportable from the Scriptures:
Christ’s authority is founded in
the confidence he has in the heavenly Father.
His confidence is expressed in humility, not pride; his goal is not to
dominate, but to serve.
Have
this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in
the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but
emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of
men. (Ph 2:5-7)
The Lord’s anger is consistently directed at the strong; his compassion consistently toward those who suffer.
Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” Lk 13:15-16
Jesus is firm, discrete, and precise
in both judgement and mercy.
“Let
anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”…But
when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and
Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go,
and do not sin again.” (Jn 8:9-11)
Jesus holds up children as
exemplary of human trust and dependence on God; he holds up God, known by His
beneficence, as the model of human fatherhood.
People
were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but
the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus
saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to
me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive
the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mk 10:13-15
If
you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Mt 7:11
Jesus operates out of a revised family
metaphor that obligates believers to loving behavior in all circumstances.
Now
Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near
him because of the crowd. Someone told
him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” He replied, “My mother and brothers are those
who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Lk 8:19-21
The Lord empathizes with women
regarding trials unique to their gender, and he understands the effects of
those trials on children.
Woe
to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those
days! Pray that your flight may not be
in winter or on a sabbath. For at that
time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of
the world until now, no, and never will be.
Mt 24:19-21
Jesus supports the freedom and
intelligence of women to make decisions.
…the
Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many
things; there is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’ Lk 10:41-42
