In today's first reading, St. Peter describes women as "the weaker sex." - certainly a difficult scripture by today's standards! I'd like to recall something said by Fr. de la Torre's in a homily he delivered at Holy Spirit parish in the early days of the formation of our chapter.
There is no denying that in terms of physical and emotional strength many women far exceed men, so what is going on here? Father Bart put it well when he said that the key to understanding it was in terms of vulnerability. In physical terms, which sex is more likely to be assaulted? In emotional terms, which sex is more fragile? We have no difficulty in instantly arriving at the same conclusion St. Peter offers.
Rather than argue with the word of God, or dismiss it as antiquarian drivel which modernity has outgrown, from time to time it does us good to set aside our offended pride and hear what the Lord has to say. and with this scripture, He has some pretty darned good prescriptions for supporting and overcoming the weaknesses with which we live.
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I wouldn't agree that "many women far exceed men" in terms of physical and/or emotional strength. I think it's rather the exception. The strongest woman may be stronger than the weakest man, but that doesn't disprove the rule. I'd also point to the different standards of strength for men and women in the military as evidence. And my own experience raising a son, who, although I could still best him at 12, when the testosterone kicked in, left me in the dust. The push to declare women "equal to men" based on physical/mental/emotional criteria is absurd, requires a "faith" that denies reason, and distracts from the real equality we have in Christ.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I agree that women are more vulnerable. Men's strength should be used to serve women by protecting them. That's not the same thing as belittling them. I, for one, have no problem admitting men are stronger than women. That seems to be just the way it is. So to all those feminists, and all the men who tread carefully for fear of provoking a spittle-flecked, foot-stomping, red-faced tantrum from one of them, I say: deal with it.
I find the power struggle engaged in by many women (against 'men' .. what men? I ask .. ME?)a tedious, childish, irritating thing to have to endure. It all seems based on a confusing inversion of the idea that women are the weaker sex. How passionately they deny male pronouns to God at Mass in loud, bombastic voices! Sheesh! Talk about 'getting a life'. Talk about abusive, divisive, harrassing, bullying, obstinate AND unfeminine behaviour! And it's all about POWER! They think we have it (how wrong they are!) - and they want it.
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