HARMLESS OR LESS HARM?

Friday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 8:1-3

When we were seminarians, we had many friends of the opposite gender. Girls seem to flock naturally around a young man preparing for the priesthood. No wonder because seminarians are often said to be “harmless”. Some, however, are quick to rebut, saying, “They are not harmless, mind you. They are only less harm.”

By “harmless”, people mean that girls are secured in the company of seminarians. Girls are secured not only from advances of men other than seminarians but also from the seminarians themselves. Seminarians are commonly regarded as gentlemen. They are polite, courteous, and considerate most especially towards the opposite sex.

By “less harm”, people mean that seminarians can also be naughty with girls, but the harm they can inflict on girls are not as grave as non-seminarians can do. The claim can be an issue that welcomes debates.

Another issue, however, is often overlooked. Whether seminarians are “harmless” or “less harm”, are they in turn “harmed not” or “harmed less” by girls?

Jesus is in the company of girls today. St. Luke gives us the names and brief descriptions of the women. There things stand out in the evangelist’s account.

First, Jesus is not alone with the women. “With Jesus,” writes St. Luke, “went the Twelve, as well as certain women.” Jesus’ friendship with the women mentioned in the Gospel is real and deep, but it is not an exclusive friendship. The women are friends not only of Jesus but of the Twelve as well. Jesus shares his friends with everyone.

Second, the women, according to St. Luke, had been cured of evil spirits and ailments. As an example, the evangelist cites Mary Magdalene. She used to be possessed by seven demons. It is, however, not very clear if it was Jesus who cured her because St. Luke does not explicitly say so. However, it can be presumed that it was Jesus who healed her; doing so does not add or subtract anything from Jesus who has always been regarded as a wandering Healer even prior to this account. Jesus’ friendship with the women mentioned here is born out of a life-changing event: the women were made whole again.

Third, St. Luke ends his description of the women by telling us something about Jesus more than about the women themselves. By saying that the women provided for the needs of Jesus and of the Twelve out of their own resources, the evangelist paints for us a picture of Jesus who relies on the help of others. Such attitude of Jesus is not a manifestation of weakness but of humility. Jewish men do not rely on women. Jesus is a Jew but he relies on women. Jesus is a humble friend whose friendship is not dictated by discriminating way of regarding people.

These three points may well help us see if our friendship is “harmless”, “less harm”, or “harmful”. Is our friendship exclusive? Does our friendship make people whole again or preserve their wholeness? Does our friendship have the humility to rely on others, without any trace of discrimination?

Are we a friend like Jesus?