Our Sacred Stories ~ Solidarity Sunday: Standing with the Threatened and Vulnerable

Today we can hear again the words of the Second Vatican

Council (1962-65). In its final session the Council promulgated

The Constitution of the Church in the Modern World. The Church

ended it four year Council by looking outward to the world and

expressing its concerns:

We are at a moment of history when the development of economic life could diminish social in equalities if that development were guided and coordinated in a reasonable and human way. Yet too often it serves only to intensify the inequalities. In some places it even results in a decline of social status of the weak and in contempt for he poor.

Listening to John’s Gospel (8:1-11), we are drawn into the story of Jesus and his encounter with a group of scribes and Pharisees. In an effort to trip him up, they have brought before him a woman caught in adultery. They pose a question to him, asking if he agrees with what the law of Moses demanded – that she must be stoned to death.

Before Jesus stands one who is unable to defend herself. She is one of the most threatened and vulnerable. She is without rights and without an advocate. Accused of sin, she finds no forgiveness and is isolated and rejected by the community. She is lost and her life will be taken from her.

Only Jesus stands with her. He stands in solidarity with her. In doing so, Jesus brings to her an immediate salvation. His response by a loving reconciling presence brings her forgiveness and restoration to the community. He saves her in so many ways. She is freed from the bondage of injustice. She is forgiven her sin and failings. She is raised to new life possibilities. She is restored to a place in the community of God’s People.

Our faith and our faith tradition call us to be this Jesus acting in our world. John’s telling of this story highlights the wonder of Jesus’ healing, reconciling presence. All of the Gospel healing stories reveal the same Jesus. He feels the pain and the suffering of the threatened and vulnerable. He brings them out of pain and suffering restoring them to wholeness and holiness. He reconciles them, bringing them back into the community. He stands in solidarity with them in their struggle and through his presence, shares their challenges with compassion and with love.

This is the Jesus of our faith. This is who we are called to be. It is our identity as a Christian people. At our baptism, we received the spirit of this Jesus. It made us sharers in the priesthood of Jesus the Christ, every one of us. In this priesthood we stand with the poor, the broken, the rejected, the suffering, the oppressed of our world. Sinners we are, but we are also healers and reconcilers.

This Sunday is Solidarity Sunday. Each year on the 5th Sunday of Lent, our Canadian Catholic Church reflects on our Christian call to stand in solidarity with the poor, the oppressed, the suffering of our world. As a baptized priesthood of Jesus the Christ, we believe and commit ourselves:

- to God, who loves us, all of us unconditionally

- to Jesus, in his life, death and resurrection

- to the Spirit who has gives us and sustains us in life

- to our call as priests of Jesus the Christ, in solidarity with all

who face poverty, injustice, oppression, violence and sin in our world.

THIS WE BELIEVE