Faith Daily | 17 September 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - PENTECOST APBA p581

O God,

without you we are not able to please you:

mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit

may in all things direct and rule our hearts;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 8: 1-3

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Rosemary Bruton

In the commentary in my Bible it says that Jesus lifted women up from degradation and servitude. Jesus saved women and freed them from condemnation. It is understandable they wanted to follow and help Jesus. It wasn’t a demand, it was a choice they made because he treated them beautifully. In Jewish culture women were not supposed to learn from rabbis.

By permitting women to travel with him, Jesus was showing that all are equal before God.

With the recent exodus of the Afghani people from Afghanistan, how disappointing to be hearing of women and children desperate to flee their own country because of the fear of the Taliban. What a comparison in faiths, Jesus liberating women and other faiths that seek to condemn.

If we go back to Genesis 2:20 “but for Adam (man), no suitable helper was found…22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib…and he brought her to the man”. All of these verses tell me that women were created with a special purpose. We were meant to walk alongside the male. Not to be at war with men but to help each other out. Not to be condemned by men, but to be companions and work together for good.

FINAL PRAYER: from Rosemary

Thank you Jesus that you continue to call us out

Male and female you created us.

Thank you Father, that you lift us up, breathe into us again Father.

Your precious life-giving Spirit,

You heal us and set us free,

So that we may follow and delight in you today and always.

Blessed be God forever.

Amen.