As I heard the Scripture story of the Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8) read both yesterday and again today at Mass, I was struck by the vulnerability of women and how this has been true throughout the centuries.  Whether or not the woman is actually guilty almost seems secondary; so often she is “used” for the purposes of others.

Coming from Mass this morning and still reflecting on this story, I am heartened to read an email from Sister Mary Jo Toll at the U.N. telling us that she and Sister Mary Pat Dorobek will be together for the Commission on the Status of Women, meeting women and girls from all over the world and listening to NGOs, government Ministers for Women, and other agencies who focus on the issues of women and girls. I am grateful to know that our Congregation is represented in helping to make a difference in the lives of women and girls throughout the world.

So often, I don’t really know the story behind the faces of the women I encounter each day.  I pray that today I may look at each one with the same compassion that marked Jesus’ life and ministry.