June 8, 2016
Disciples Welcome

Scripture Readings for this Week: 2 Samuel 11:26—12:10, 13-15; Psalm 32;
Galatians 2:15-21; & Luke 7:36—8:3

Jesus welcomes all kinds of people to be a part of what God is doing in the world. At a dinner with Simon the Pharisee, an ardent follower of the Mosaic Law, a woman approaches Jesus. She bathes his feet with ointment and her tears. “If this man were a prophet,” Simon thinks, “he would have known who and what kind of woman this is” (Luke 7:39). What kind of woman is she? She is a “sinner,” not a strict follower of the Torah. Perhaps worse. Even Jesus concedes her sins are many.

The religious establishment may reject those who cannot live up to its exacting standards, but Jesus welcomes sinners. He invites weak and strong, male and female, into discipleship. “Do you see this woman?” Jesus asks Simon. These words are loaded. Jesus sees the woman, like he saw the widow of Nain in last week’s gospel. Jesus seems more concerned with love than with someone’s social status.
This week’s gospel mentions three other women—by name. Along with “the twelve,” Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna follow Jesus and provide for Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:1-3). Women are both disciples and patrons! Luke’s gospel features other women who play important roles in Jesus’ life: his mother Mary, his mother’s cousin Elizabeth, and the prophetess Anna.

The apostle Paul understood the implications of Jesus’ ministry. Because of what Christ has done, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female” (Gal. 3:28). All are called, men and women, saints and sinners. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, you are invited to follow Jesus, to show great love, to take part in the dance of God’s work in the world.

 
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