The Journey 356

Read: Mathew 1: 18-25, Ephesians 5: 22-28      Two countries are united together in totally different diverse yet a common issue affecting humanity. The shooting at Newtown brought together in harmony everyone in United States, about sharing the grief of families in Newtown. As this nation stands united, my motherland India, is also united together, in a unity of protest. People all across the nation are coming together in one accord to protest against the recent sexual assault against a 23 year old para medical staff, who was sexually assaulted in a travelling bus. What really brought shock and anger in the common man is the brutality that was associated in this particular sexual assault.  The girl and her friend boards a wrong bus and the moment they are in the bus, the male friend is assaulted in a brutal way and then thrown onto the road, while the girl is assaulted sexually in a moving bus. Her ordeal does not end there, once the perpetrators finish sexually assaulting her, they also physically inflict severe injuries on her whole body and finally throwing off the bus so casually just as some of us in India throw trash on to the roads. She lies bleeding, without any protective cover neither on her body nor from anyone and finally just as in the climax of Hindi movies, the cops come when everything is over. They take her to the hospital. When the nation hears about this sordid crime, the conscience of the ordinary citizen is aroused. The country is still seeing huge protest all over the different states from Kerala to Delhi and some even going to the extent of asking everyone to sign a petition for bringing a new law which requires death by hanging for a person who is convicted of sexual assault.  I think  what everyone wants to see is that the place that they live, the family environment, the society and the nation is free from violence against woman. Can we stop the violence against woman by just bringing a law that grants capital punishment to the perpetrators of sexual assault?. I think we need to move in  a very comprehensive way. It is not only the laws that will help, but we need to understand that we live in a society where there are certain cultural norms and certain mind sets that still is the basis of human behavior, the kind of nurturing in our families and human relationship. Until we address these issues and the values that are prevalent in our family, the mindset that is prevalent in both male and female, we may not be able to move forward not only to end violence against woman but also in the process of creating a society where every individual irrespective of his/her sex is respected and affirmed. How can we as Christians play this empowering role in our society especially in these times of advent so that we become channels of change in the cultural mindset, the religious belief system so as to promote and bring about respect and affirmation of both sexes?.
        We are  meditating on the theme “Transformed Living” and the portion that we shall use for our meditation is from Ephesians 5: 22-28 and Mathew 1: 18-25. Both these portions underlines certain principles that should be the foundation of any human relationship. The basis of any human relationship should be based on love [ 1 Cor 13]. But today the basis of human relationship is more on power and control. How can I have power over others so that I can control the other person in every way. When a male tries to sexually assault a female it is not just a vent to his frustrated sexual desire and urge, but also a to have a sadistic feeling of a victor and the vanquished. The cries and the tears of the victims bringing in the mind of perpetrators of crime that they have greater control and power over the woman. When there is domestic violence and abuse in the family this could be one of the mindset that could be prevalent in the male. The feeling of having power and control over the woman. It is this understanding of power and control that Jesus Christ reinterprets. In Luke 22: 25-27., Jesus states like this “ The kings of the gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead greatest among you should be like the youngest and one who rules like the one who serves”. Here Jesus Christ brings in a new understanding of power and control. Power is not about abusing and ruling and controlling others, on the contrary power is all about service and serving others in the most humble way. In Ephesians 5: 22-28, Paul also bring a new understanding about what binds the relationship between a husband and wife. Here also the concept of power and authority is dealt by Paul. Power and authority according to Paul in this portion is all about mutual submission, respect and sacrifice. Many believers including woman always tend to see only the submission part of the woman towards her husband forgetting that there is also the concept of love, respect and service on the part of male which God commands and that submission is not a yes or Christian prerogative for a husband to dominate, control and abuse his wife or another woman. Thus power, control and authority has to be on the basis of love and service and until we redefine these concepts of power, control and authority in our minds, in our family and in our society and nation,  we have a long way to go in our fight to end violence against woman. How do you define power, authority and control in the context of your web of relationships?
Rev. Dr. Joe Joseph Kuruvilla