Friar Sydney Mascarenhas. O.F.M., Ph.D
Most cultures, even today, are elusive with regard to women. In Greek mythology, woman was ‘Penia’, or ‘Want’. Man was ‘Poros’, or ‘Fulness’ and ‘Wealth’. Plato and Aristotle never included woman into their scheme of human society. Woman lacked volition and intelligence. They were certainly not capable of achieving any equilibrium and good.
Indian society has had some shining examples of women all through its history right down to our present days. But in daily life and in the average family, woman are kept as handmaids of their husbands. The practice of ‘Sati’, illegal though it is, was based on the idea that a woman formed part of her husband’s self. She had no right to exist apart from her husband. Why, the number of female feticides performed even today in India is shocking!
Even Hebrew society, though it had some very astounding women on the national scene, never actually treated women with the respect that is their due.
Today’s readings speak of great signs and symbols that fill the sky, our horizon. Signs and symbols are truths about an unseen reality. Something is being thrown together before our eyes, but unfortunately, because of our defective vision, we only see it dimly and in part.
There are many things that strike me in these readings. First and foremost is the fact that God works through woman for the good of human kind and His universe. In God’s eyes, woman is
no less a partner of His than man. Does this not really puncture our male ego of its sense of greatness and importance?
A second fact is that woman is equally important to man in the fulfilment of Creation, Redemption and Sanctification. All the readings are about women and God’s creative, redemptive and salvific action through them.
A third fact is that woman is pregnant and labouring. She is crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Even today, the vast majority of them are pregnant and labouring, crying aloud in the pangs and hope of human dignity.
A fourth fact is that although she is considered lowly in our society, God exalts her. God does great and wondrous things through woman.
A fifth fact is that in God’s eyes, man and woman are not competitors. In God’s eyes, both Man and Woman are His partners. Consequently, man and woman are also partners of each other. To each a task. To each a fruit.
Perhaps, the greatest challenge of the Feast of the Assumption is this: woman has her task and fruit to bear forth in human society. She has her future that is as heavenly as that of every man.
Do we Christians, at least, realize and foster the dignity of woman as God is showing us through these great signs and symbols?
Shalom!