Friday, March 16, 2007

"My chains fell off...."

Yesterday's "thought for the day" in the diocesan Lent material came from Rachel Conrad Wahlberg. Having spent some time on google, I'm rather ashamed to admit that I hadn't encountered her previously, for her words had a huge impact on me.

I thought about my friends in India, those women who'd dared to step outside the expectations of their society to claim their right to respect and status apart from that conferred by father or husband.
Later in the day, at my review we talked about the courage with which the majority at St M's have
welcomed me, despite the many years in which they'd been told by their former priest that women just couldn't be ministers of Word and Sacrament. With both those situations present in my thoughts, perhaps it's no wonder that I found myself struggling with tears as WonderfulVicar read to us in the chapel.

"Jesus gave the [Samaritan] woman a message bomshell...It acted as a spiritual call within her. She went forth immediately to tell a message - and the message got through. She was the medium. She left her water pot to go and tell. She left her woman-job for her preacher-job.
Her culturally assigned status gave way to her Jesus assigned status - one who is worthy to go and tell."
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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:03 AM

    wonderful wonderful affirmation. I rejoice with you - :)

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  2. Fiona Marcella10:29 AM

    As a cyclist my first reaction to the title wasn't positive - chains falling off means frustration and dirty oily hands. But come to think of it, it DOES in the context you meant it too.

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  3. chartreuseova4:24 PM

    I often need reminding that my Jesus assigned status takes priority. He can break the chains.

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  4. Shawna Atteberry6:40 PM

    That is wonderful. I looked at the Samaritan women here. There are quite a few people who like to overlook the fact that she is the first evangelist and was sent by Jesus himself. I like your Vicar. :)

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  5. Kathryn6:55 PM

    So do I, Shawna...but for the sake of accuracy I possibly ought to make it clear that the reading was part of a booklet produced by Gloucester diocese for use in all its churches during Lent.
    WonderfulVicar is just that. Wonderful.
    But he isn't a great reader of feminist theology!

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