The Rev. Carter Hawley
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In this little section of Luke’s Gospel, we hear expressly that there were some women who accompanied Jesus and ministered out of their resources. In my memory, women have always been a part of Jesus’ work in this world, and yet I know this is not everyone’s experience either within our tradition or in other traditions. That these women were called out tells us that women’s involvement in Jesus’ ministry was noteworthy.
Jesus was always inviting people to his table that were not expected or not acceptable based on the norms of the time. He invited tax collectors, thieves and even women! Women played an important role in his life and ministry. It was, after all, a group of women who first witnessed his resurrection, and were the first proclaimers of that Good News! In that time, it was probably scandalous to have women in the inner circle of Jesus- followers. I wonder who we’d consider to be scandalous in our inner circle.
Depending on your politics, it could be someone from the ultra-right or ultra-left. It could be the someone from another vastly different Christian tradition, or one that espouses positions we don’t support. It could be the murderer, the addict, the mentally ill. Jesus invites them all to share in the Good News, and calls us to make room for them at God’s Table, just like he invited the scandalous women.
Carter Hawley is a deacon and has served at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral for a year.
Find all Lenten Devotionals from Trinity Cathedral here.
