A Liturgical #MeToo Moment

Daniel 13:1-62; John 8:1-11

Today our Lectionary has created what could be called a liturgical #MeToo moment in the life of the Church, inviting us to reflect on some of the biblical and religious foundations of the patriarchy and sexism that have bedeviled us for thousands of years. At the risk of her life, Susanna asserts her bodily and moral integrity against two lecherous elders. She’s saved only when an inspired young man named Daniel is willing to go against the crowd and challenge the social conventions that assume that wisdom and holiness automatically come with age and gender. After being skillfully interrogated, the two elders convict themselves of perjury and are held accountable in the most extreme way possible.

In our gospel reading, the woman isn’t even named. For the scribes and Pharisees, she is a convenient and disposable prop that they can use to trap Jesus. If he joins in their condemnation and encourages people to stone her, then he will run afoul of the Roman authorities who, under the system of occupation, have the sole power to execute someone. If he refuses to condemn her, however, Jesus can be accused of rejecting the Law of Moses.

As he often does with his adversaries, Jesus sidesteps their trap and turns the tables on them. He challenges them to examine their own consciences and sinfulness. (He later calls the woman to avoid sin as well.) They can only drop their stones and walk away. Patriarchy, sexism and the associated sin of clericalism are all stones that have been hurled at women in the Church for centuries. The Lord is inviting us to a #MeToo moment. It’s a time for self-examination, especially for those who are men and even more so for clergy, and to put down these stones and walk away from these sins. –jc