Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 8th March 2009 by the Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Genesis 1:26-27; Galatians 3:28 and Mark 5: 25-34.


Opening prayer

In the beginning was the Word. God, we thank you for giving us Your Word in the bible. Help us to understand You, Your Word, Your teaching, and Your good deeds through Jesus Christ, our redeemer. We ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us to Your truth. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Introduction

Today is the International Women’s Day. In different parts of the world, there are activities and programs celebrating this special occasion. The Hong Kong Christian Council has also designated this Sunday as Women’s Sunday. We have taken a women’s perspective (feminist perspective) to conduct today’s Worship.

Many people may comment that women’s status has been greatly increased in the past century. One of the examples cited could be increasing women leadership--- there are 8 female presidents in the countries of Argentina, Chile, Finland, India, Ireland, Liberia, The Philippines and San Marino. There are 9 female prime Ministers in the world. They are from countries of Bangladesh, Germany, Haiti, Iceland, Moldova, Mozambique, The Netherlands Antilles, Ukraine and the Aland Islands.

In our local community of Hong Kong, for the first time in the last 140 years, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank appointed her first female Chief Executive, Mrs Leung Ko Mei Yi when Raymond Or retires.

While many people are glad to see some progress in terms of gender equality and recognition of women’s contribution to society in our local community and the world, it is sad however, to see many women are still suffering from different forms of oppression such as violence at home and in war zone, poverty and HIV-Aids problems etc. This year the global United Nations has taken ‘Women and men united to end violence against women and girls’ as the theme of the International Women’s Day.

Gender based violence—a concern of the church

From local and international statistics, over 90% of victims suffering from domestic and sexual violence are women. Gender based violence is a concern to both society and the church. The cause and perpetuation of violence against women is very much related to women’s low socio-economic status and gender inequalities. Why is the concern for women’s rights and equality a matter of the church? Too obvious, for God created both male and female in God’s Holy image. Women were created with equal status as men. Women are not second class citizens. If women are created by God with the same good quality, and are unique and precious creatures, any humiliation and violation of their bodies and their dignity are wrong. They are against the will of God, they are also an insult to God, our creator of the universe. If we keep silence to this evil crime in society, we allow God’s image to be tarnished.

In Galatians 3:28, Apostle Paul reiterated that all people are free and equal. All boundaries created by gender, race and class should be removed. In ancient times, there was a Jewish morning prayer that says, “thank you Lord because you have not made me a gentile (non-Jew), a slave or a woman”. From the prayer, you can see Jewish racial, class and gender discrimination in the old days. Apostle Paul, after being converted and became Christ’s follower, changed drastically. In Christ, we people are all equal, disregarding our background. People will not be categorized and discriminated against because of their colors and sex. In Christ, all are ONE. There is no more hierarchy. We are all God’s creation and we are saved because of God’s grace through Christ, not because of status and position, race, religion, gender and so on.

Jesus cured the woman with discharge of blood

In today’s gospel reading of Mark, it was a story about a woman who suffered from the discharge of blood for twelve years. With an understanding of the religious and cultural background of the ancient Israelite society, the suffering of this woman was more than physical pain. According to the Jewish law recorded in Leviticus 15:25-30, discharge of blood for a woman was ritually impure. This person was prohibited to be in touch with other people and stayed away from all religious and social activities. Such women were forced to be isolated because they were prohibited to make any contacts with other people in the community. The woman who suffered from this disease represented those who were marginalized and discriminated against by the socio-religious systems in her time. Jesus Christ, as representative of God, manifested his divine love to people whose lives were torn and alienated by the religious and cultural systems. Jesus’ public declaration of the woman’s full recovery and Jesus’ recognition of this woman as ‘daughter’, had conveyed a very significant message. This is a message of Jesus’ love to those who are isolated and suppressed by the oppressive system. Jesus has publicly challenged the cultural and religious system and overcame it. His declaration of the healing of the woman was a sign of the liberation for the woman. The woman was no longer under the bondage of sins. The woman is saved from the sins of brokenness in relationship. The woman could now face herself, other people and the religious leaders in her community. She did not need to hide herself but reclaim her dignity as a human being. Jesus’ saving act has moved beyond personal sins but addressed the sins that were caused by the social system and structures.

In the season of Lent when we repent and reflect on our sins, we should also be aware that when we talk about sins as alienation of relationship, as broken relations between human beings and God, between ourselves and other people, and between our own selves. There is a dimension of sins that the broken relations are caused by the unjust social system and structures. I will call it the structural sins, as some theologians suggest. The story of the woman suffering from discharge of blood had clearly given us insights that a person or a group of people whose suffering and brokenness were due to the unjust system.

Sharing of a personal story

Today, I would like to share with you a personal story. When I was nine years old, something horrible happened to me. I was sexually molested by a stranger in a public place. The perpetuator threatened that he had a knife and I was so scared that I did not cry for help but silently let things happened. After this incidence, I kept on blaming myself for not resisting or struggling to escape. I kept thinking that if I had tried to resist I might have had a chance to run away from the assault. I carried this guilt and shame for many years without telling anybody until I reached the age of 30 when I joined a therapeutic group.

One particularly helpful session for me was to recall an incident when I was about 16 years old, I came home late after a Christmas Eve celebration with friends. My mother gave me a lecture to warn me that going home late was dangerous for girls. I was grateful for her care. But what really upset me afterwards was her following words: she said ‘as you had been sexually assaulted before, you should be careful and not put yourself in danger”. I was very angry to hear what my mother had said to me. I said to myself, “Why?” “Why is it so unfair to me, why should a victim of sexual violence bear the blame and all responsibility? I was a victim and yet I am further punished by restricting my freedom and once again being reminded that it is all my responsibility to prevent the assault. If anything happens to me again, it is my fault for not taking enough measures to protect myself. What is the logic? How ridiculous and unfair to woman?! Being victims of sexual assault in the first place, then being deprived of the freedom of movement especially at night because women need to be responsible for their safety! Isn’t it unfair to women and girls?

Since then, I have a very strong sense of injustice. This could be part of the reasons for my passion in social justice concern. Later on I find that my experience was not unique. The notion of ‘blame the victims’ in sexual violence is so commonly found. This is the discrimination against women in a male dominant society where men’s aggression and sexual needs are justified easily. It is also commonly found that victims suffer from low self esteem and self confidence after being raped or sexually assaulted. The reason behind is a kind of patriarchal culture that women should preserve their chastity. Once the women’s bodies are violated, they are less valuable. Too easily, victims of sexual violence will carry this guilt and shame after being raped.

The brokenness and isolations of victims of sexual violence are caused by structural sins of sex discrimination. When we work out the reconciliation ministry for women in general and women victims in particular, the understanding and reflection of the structural sins of the patriarchal culture should be looked into.

In the eyes of God, women are equal and should be treated with dignity, fairness and justice. The systems therefore should be worked out in such a direction.

Feminine images of God

Today, we have tried a creative liturgy for the worship by adopting a women’s approach. The idea is to bring out the message that God loves and stands for women who suffer and are still treated unequally in our society. Our Lord Jesus Christ stands for the weak and marginalized. Today we foster our solidarity with Jesus for his support to women. The liturgy has also helped us to understand the image of God that constitutes both feminine and masculine qualities. For our triune God is God of creator, God of redeemer and God of sustainer. Our God is not only strong and powerful, but also merciful and tenderly. We used to have father figure to project God’s image. Today, in Women’s Sunday, we try to be more conscious to bring out our God in a feminine image as a mother, as a tenderly woman who bears us in her womb, to feed us and nurture us in her loving kindness. Let me read one example for you from Isaiah 49: 14-15, here it says ‘But Zion said, “the Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forsaken me”. Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb?” You may also find God’s feminine image and taking God as mother in the bible quite often. Below are some of them that you may read by yourself in the book of Isaiah 42: 14, 46:3-4, 66:12-13; Number 11:12; Hosea 11:1-4; in the new Testament Luke 15:8-10; Matthew 23:37. In Matthew 23:37, Jesus employed feminine imagery of God like a hen gathering her brood under her wings, to protect them. Both the masculine and feminine images of God help us to understand different aspects of God and experience God’s richness without pre-set gender stereotypes. In our congregation, whenever I see our brothers feed and hold their babies in their arms, God’s gentleness and tenderness manifest fully in them.

Relevance to KUC

One of the aspects that I am always proud of in Kowloon Union Church, is the congregation’s open and liberal character. After my ordination, I was invited for a sharing by the Hong Kong Women Christian Council, an organization that was housed by KUC in Jordan number 2 many years ago. During the sharing, some female assistant ministers and members of the Council shared that there are congregations in Hong Kong, still reserved and rejected to ordain female ministers because of the traditional belief that leadership should be taken by men. The ordination and appointment of female minister is definitely a strong proof of the congregation’s liberal character. One of my goals in serving at KUC is to maintain and nurture the congregation’s progressive and liberal manner. The liberal and ecumenical character of KUC is not just for her own sake, but a reflection of Jesus’ merciful love and justice to promote equality between men and women. The liberation of women is also liberation of all human kind that benefits both men and women. By engaging ourselves in gender issues and advocacy of gender equality, we become God’s living witness to God’s beautiful and harmonious creation. In God’s wonderful creation, we human being male and female are able to lead a life full of grace and truth.

Closing Prayer

Dear God of grace, thank you for creating each one of us in a unique but equal manner. In your creation of man and woman, we learn and experience your richness and mystery of creation and love.

God, help us to love one another. Grant us the passion and compassion to share the plights of women near and far. God, unite us women and men to serve you and those women and girls to experience your grace and love. Amen.