Guess Who Came To Dinner

To The Editor:

Here we are only one week removed from that Thursday called Holy and it’s forewarning of Good Friday and Easter. Consider the familiar setting, the likes of which we find in many of our churches, the media, and in countless volumes of religious literature and the arts… all beautiful depictions of that meal referred to as “The Lord’s Supper.”

Did you ever wonder who chose the alleged seating arrangement in The Last Supper and whether Leonardo DaVinci was accurate in the theory attributed to him in his famous work? Perhaps, you think it sacrilegious of me, or of anyone, questioning such an acceptable proposition. But, since the Sacred Scriptures say so little about the event, or at least, who sat where, I guess its OK to reflect on it without worrying about scandalizing “the flock.”

If Jesus was surrounded only by men, and they all sat on one side of the table, as at a head table, where did all the women and children sit? In addition to the scriptural witness against such a premise (they reclined at the table… the whole family participated at a Seder meal in Passover tradition… etc) we can rest assured that no one was pausing for a Kodak moment. And surely, the Gospel picture was not to be construed as an “old boys night out.” Mrs Peter was there. And the Mrs James, Mathias, Jude et al. Even, undoubtedly, was Mrs Thomas. They and the kids were all there, singing the Hallel Psalms and reflecting, gratefully, on the goodness of God. We can observe these early believers in the Christ, anticipating the mission that each, both male and female, gentile and Jew (Gal 3/27-28), would soon be commissioned to do, for the honor and glory of their God.

Those who resist the thought of women being called to minister to their fellow beings, might take another journey through the scriptures, and witness the call of Mary, His mother, the Samaritan Woman, Magdalene, the Mary who anointed his feet with oil, the women who greeted him on that first Easter morning only to be sent to the rest of the disciples to announce the good news, i.e., the “god-spel” that He had truly risen. Why didn’t Jesus choose women as members of that first apostolic team? Of course, the answer is rooted in the social predominance of men at that time. Local customs, such as wearing a veil, set the tone... (cf.1 Cor. 11/2-16) but certainly, no one would argue from something Jesus did not do, to His establishing a permanent norm. E.G., some disciples of Paul forbade women to speak in the assembly (1 Tm. 2/ 1-12) and while some religious traditions continue this practice today, most have come to understand that these regulations did not establish permanent norms. Even the Church of Rome admits that 1 Cor. 11/2-16 does no longer have a normative value.

It is time for all Christian church leaders to focus on the negative influence that faulty exegesis has had on the early Fathers of the Church and on many of the scholastic theologians. Most arguments against women’s ordination flow from such erroneous thinking. We observed an example of this here, in this very column, only two weeks ago in answer to a recent letter on the subject.

The celebration of Easter Sunday (except by the Orthodox communities, who celebrate Easter on this weekend) is behind us. But the effect of that event will continue to stir in us, a joy and peace that the world cannot give. And no matter where we come down on this issue, or any other, we need to keep talking…the dialogue must go on… and peace needs to be continually shared. On a lighter note, did you ever wonder why “her” contains “he,” “female” includes “male” and “woman,” “man?” Just wondering!

The Rev Leo McIlrath

Corpus Christi: a catholic community

13 Sugarloaf Road, Sandy Hook                                   April 26, 2000