The season of Advent has arrived. Advent means arrival and thus during Advent peacemakers prepare with Mary for the arrival of her baby, Jesus. Except that liturgically speaking, based on the usual Gospel readings for the season, we do not. Little attention is given to Mary and instead to John the Baptist. How is it that within a season supposedly devoted to a woman, to her pregnancy unfolding into the arrival of new life, we do not hear much from Mary? We do not hear much from a woman about whom we have ironically been told much. But by whom have we been told of Mary and what is its content and purpose? Does what institutional church rulers tell us about Mary help make us more sensitive to her as a woman, as a pregnant woman, as a mother? Does what they tell us help us be more sensitive to others who share her circumstances?
It is deeply disappointing that an institutional church which exalts Mary to a pinnacle of sanctity is not sensitive about devoting every Sunday in Advent to hearing from her. Absent her regular voice, Mary is reduced to a stereotype – Virgin Mother – a rather difficult stereotype to emulate. Church patriarchs may benefit from deifying Mary as a feminine stereotype in place of humanizing her as a powerful woman, but women do not benefit. Women are routinely subjected to harmful stereotypes, of both the feminine and the masculine. Both stereotypes stem from the religion of Militarism. Militarism devises incapacity for women by its victim damsel stereotype of the feminine. It devises violence for men by its victor soldier stereotype of the masculine. Some women in their passage away from the former conform to the latter; Madelaine Albright, Hillary Clinton, Kellyann Conway, Nikki Haley, Cecile Richards, Gloria Steinem. Women are increasingly conforming to Militarism’s victor soldier stereotype of the masculine. This is shown in supporting or committing the violence of poverty, hunger, and unattainable health care. It is also shown in supporting or committing the violence of abortion, the death penalty, and war. Militarism’s violence is done by supremacists, those deemed of greater rank (warlord, master, soldier, male, white, …) and done to those dehumanized to lesser rank (the enemy, the slave, the wife, women, those who are poor, Iraqis, gay, unborn, …). Dehumanization is how the violent religion of Militarism begins its operation; normalized violence that begins with insensitivity to others and always escalates. Research and studies in psychology show sensitivity to others is diminished in Militarists. This is horrifying because sensitivity to others is a basic human quality necessary for social well-being. In a world of Militarism’s insensitivity unto violence, often specifically directed against her as a woman, Mary is depicted in the Gospel as sensitive unto courageous. She is sensitive to life growing within her and around her. She is courageous in risking full communion with another life that will ask her to be responsible, healthy, to love, and to change. Mary is a witness to the risks we take in bringing others to life. It is the risk taken by every woman, every pregnant woman, every mother. Are we, who do not share Mary’s circumstances, also sensitive, also courageous – to risk receiving every child as a Christ-child? If we did, we too would experience full communion with another life – asking us to be responsible, healthy, to love, and to change. We would thus pay a living wage, feed our brothers and sisters, care for their health, and make a world of peace. We would give birth to and/or help others give birth to new life, to children who are housed, fed, healthy, and peacefulness.
If we are passively waiting for the arrival of a more sensitive military or patriarchy with more sensitive stereotypes, we are waiting in vain. If we are instead sensitive to life, to courageously preparing for the arrival of new life, we are waiting prolifically. We are waiting with Mary and with all women who throughout their lives take risks to create truly pro-life cultures; in the womb and in the world. Ours is a vulnerable power to hold life, within us and around us. It is a power for life men tend to be shamed from and from which women can lead. Women’s power for life has not been courageously embraced personally nor fully risked socially. As such, our shared humanity has not been fully lived.
Prayer: Spirit, help us be sensitive and courageous with new life that is stirring.
Question: In what ways are women conforming to Militarism? How are we instead creating a new paradigm for humanity?
December 02, 2018 Gospel Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 First Sunday of Advent