In Jesus’ painful death, theologian Kwok Pui Lan experiences God’s solidarity with the suffering of Asian women.
Jesus cried out for Jerusalem. His sorrow was so deep that Matthew had to use a “feminine metaphor” to describe what he actually felt: “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…” (Matthew 23:37). How much more would a mother lament over her dead son who died in the wars in Indochina? How can the mothers, wives, and lovers in Korea who are separated from their loved ones stop crying over the divided country?…
[Asian] women suffer from the millennia-old prejudices and discriminations of the male-dominated Eastern cultures, from rampant socio-political exploitations, and from their structural vulnerability. These big burdens join hand-in-hand to rob a woman of her personhood, to render her a no-body.
Because suffering touches the innermost part of her being, she feels the pain of the suffering God: a God who cried out from the cross … a God who was put to death by the military and political forces, who was stripped naked, insulted and spat upon. Didn’t the prophet Isaiah say: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces…” (Isaiah 53:3)? God has taken the risk to become a human being, and experiences personally what it means to be a no-body.
It is the very person on the cross that suffers like us, was rendered a no-body, who illuminates our tragic human existence and speaks to countless women in Asia. We are not looking to Jesus as a mere example to follow, neither shall we try to idolize him. We see Jesus as the God who takes human form and suffers and weeps with us. [1]
For Richard Rohr, the “bias from the bottom” is a way of following God and living life from the side of suffering: Instead of legitimating what we are already doing, liberation theology simply tries to read the text from the side of the pain. That’s all. For me, that is the icon of Jesus—to read not from the side of power, but from the side of pain. Who has the pain? Where is the pain? As many have said, Jesus is on both sides of every war. The Germans in the First World War had their “Gott mit uns” [God with us] on their belt buckles, but God is in the foxholes of both sides. God is with all people crying out in their pain. Doesn’t that leave us feeling helpless? It’s not an exclusive god of our group anymore; it’s the universal God of all the earth, of all peoples. But it’s only possible to think this way when we move to the level of wisdom, which is the level of liberation. We don’t have time for group-centric religion anymore. There is too much suffering.
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Sarah Young Jesus Listens
My living Lord, Help me not to be so hard on myself! I know that You can bring good out of everything—even my mistakes. My finite mind tends to look backwards, longing to undo decisions I have come to regret. This is such a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration! Instead of floundering in the past, I want to release my mistakes to You. As I look to You in trust, I’m confident that Your infinite creativity can weave my good choices and my bad ones into a lovely design. I know I’ll continue to make mistakes in this life—because I’m only human. You’ve shown me that thinking I should live an error-free life is a symptom of pride. My failures can actually be a source of blessing—humbling me and giving me empathy for other people in their weaknesses. Also, failure vividly highlights my dependence on You. I’m grateful that You are able to bring beauty out of the morass of my mistakes. My part is to trust You and watch to see what You will do. In Your marvelous Name, Jesus, Amen
ROMANS 8:28 ESV; And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
PROVERBS 11:2; When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
PROVERBS 3:5 ESV; Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
MICAH 7:7; But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Young, Sarah. Jesus Listens (p. 212). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
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