"Jesus is in the Supermarket"

Thirty three years ago I arranged a meeting with my local bishop to tell him about my renewed sense of vocation to the presbyteral ministry. I knew him as he had taught me moral theology and he received me graciously, but there was no welcome for what I was sharing. In keeping with the official church theology, he informed me that it was impossible. Why? I am a woman, and the ordained ministry is reserved to men. He didn't go into complex sacramental and anthropological arguments but summarised the difference as such: ''Women cannot be priests, because men don't have children''. He must have seen my jaw drop, as I wasn't expecting to hear this, so he helpfully continued: ''I could be laying hands on you, but nothing would happen...'' The reason for this was that woman in her being is not proper matter for the sacrament of Orders. There must be a natural resemblance between Christ and the minister, for that minister to act in persona Christi... and only a man (male human being) carries that resemblance to Christ. End of.

This meeting was before Ordinatio Sacerdatolis (1994), and as we know there have been countless more theological studies examining at length and in great details this natural resemblance to Christ and sex/ gender argument. It is not my purpose to engage with these here.

Rather I want to relate the true story of events, which I have never shared before publicly before, but which has come back vividly to my mind this week.

This is prompted by Pope Francis re -stating the exclusion of women from ordination, and Gerry O'Hanlon SJ's recent interview on the subject in which he concludes ''the Emperor has no clothes''. https://soundcloud.com/jesuits-in-ireland/understanding-pope-francis In that well known story of the Emperor's New Clothes, while all the adults ''admire” the invisible clothes, it is a young child who is able to call out the nakedness of the emperor.

In the same way, when all those years ago my bishop was informing me of my ontological inability to be ordained since I lack ''natural resemblance to Christ '', a little boy had a very different message for me.

Jason wasn't quite three yet, and not going to school, used to accompany his father to daily Mass; I often sat beside them in the pew.

One day I was in the supermarket nearby, picking up my vegetables when I was startled hearing a little voice crying out : ''Jesus is in the supermarket, Jesus is in the supermarket!...'' and I saw little Jason sitting on his mother's trolley pointing at me.

His mother, equally startled, told him : ''It's Soline, it's Soline.'' But Jason insisted, and persisted ''Jesus is in the supermarket''... 

And afterwards, whenever I would meet him it would be the same thing. No matter how much and how often his parents would repeat my name, for little Jason I was always ''Jesus''.

I was rather perplexed and I mentioned it to the priest of the parish. His answer was that very young children sometimes call the priest ''Jesus ''....'' Yes, but Jason doesn't call you Jesus...He calls me Jesus...'' I replied. There was no rational explanation we could think of. I let that sink in my heart. Out of the mouths of babes...

A few weeks later I had another similar encounter, in another supermarket...As I was shopping I saw a woman observing me and then approaching to speak to me. I could see she was a bit self-conscious as she spoke tentatively ''Excuse me, I do not know you and I don't know if you're religious, but I want to tell you you could be Jesus''... Just like that ! No wonder the poor woman was hesitant about speaking these words to a perfect stranger.

All I could do was thank her for her kind words. She left relieved, and I continued, with more to ponder about that “natural resemblance between the minister and Christ'' I was officially lacking. 

So first little Jason and then this woman...How was it they could see what the bishop could not see ? 

Thirty -three years later I am grateful for these encounters, a gift from God, as they continue to sustain me in my vocation. 

”At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure'' (Matt 11:25-26)

Soline (Vatinel) Humbert 12th April 2023.