The WORD in Other Words by Fr Felix Ferrer SVD (Philippines)
Friday Week 24 ORdinary time, 1 Tm 6:2c-12, Lk 8:1-3
Today‘s Gospel speaks about Jesus‘ magnanimous attitude towards women. Going through towns and villages of Galilee, Jesus was also accompanied by women disciples.
Luke‘s Gospel, considered as the Gospel of women, presents the largest number of episodes that underline Jesus‘ relationship with women. The novelty is in the women‘s presence around Jesus and Jesus‘ positive attitude towards them:
- Jesus touches women with maladies and allows them to touch him without fear of being contaminated — different from what the teachers of that time did.
- Jesus accepts women who follow him and become his disciples. The liberating force of God, acting in Jesus, allows women to raise and assume their dignity.
- Jesus is sensitive to the suffering of the widow and is in solidarity with her sorrow (LK 7, 13)
- Jesus considers the woman‘s meal preparation as a sign of the Kingdom (Lk 13, 20—21). 5)
- The insistent widow is considered the model of prayer (Lk 18, 1—8); the poor widow who shares the little that she has is the model of dedication and commitment (Lk 21, 1—4).
- At a time when testimonies of women were not considered valid, Jesus accepted women and considered them witnesses of his death (Lk 23, 49), his burial (Lk 22, 55—56) and his resurrection (LK 24, I—11. 22—24).
- Luke has kept some of the names of some of these women disciples: Mary Magdalene, cured and delivered from seven demons; Joanna, Suzanne “and many others who provided for them out of their resources.”
Let women take their proper place and be recognized in the Church and society. More power to women
Éditions Verbum Bible 