Thursday April 10, 2025

Genesis 17:3-9

Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, ‘Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations.

This is a powerful reading but I will pivot and write a bit on part of my homily this past Sunday. I cannot shake it off for some reason. At mass we read the story of the woman caught in adultery and part of my reflection was this: In the Bible especially the New Testament, words matter a lot. Almost every word is counted and opens the door for a theological concept. I remember being given the assignment to count how many times the word “must” appears in the gospel of Mark and explain it. That ended up in a 10 page paper on the “imperative must.”

Anyway Jesus says to the woman, “woman, has no one condemned you…? Jesus useds this word “woman” or “Gunai” two other times in this gospel. At the wedding in Cana he says to his mother “woman” or “Gunai” what business is this to me? And at the cross before he breathes his last he says “woman” or “Gunai” behold your son and to the disciple he loved, behold your mother.

Why would he use the same word for his mother and this woman brought before him? Maybe he used this word as a sign of respect to the woman. This woman who had been called many names is now looked at and respected by Jesus. Or are they trying to accuse his mother? I am sorry my mind goes there. Did they just do what I think they did to embarrass him?

I have a lot more to write about this but I am sure you have things and places to go. Think about this and ask the 4 important questions I suggest Jesus wrote down:

1. Is this true

2. Is this Kind

3. Is this Necessary

4. Is this the whole story?