24th Week in Ord. Time, Friday – 18th September 2020 — Gospel: Lk 8,1-3
Counterbalance in discipleship
Luke’s Gospel is known as the “universal Gospel” as it focuses on members of all segments of society. It is often noted that Luke, more than the other Gospel writers, highlights portrayal of women. From the start, Luke portrays Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna as courageous women who follow God’s plan. He also often pairs a story of a woman alongside a story of a man. For example, the healing of a Centurion’s slave is paired with the raising of a widow’s son (7,1-17). The twin parables of a woman losing a coin is balanced with a man losing a sheep (15,4-10). Likewise in this passage, women who follow Jesus in discipleship are introduced in parallel fashion with the twelve (male) disciples (8,1-3). They are the courageous women who come to Jesus in faith to follow and serve him. Since they are mentioned right after the twelve apostles, it could be said that they ranked high in value. In fact, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many [women/others] are described in the same way as the twelve – they are “with him” as Jesus proclaims the good news of God’s reign. This is a discipleship characteristic that is identified with wo/men followers of Jesus in Luke’s gospel. For the first-century context, it is ideal for Jesus to have both men and women disciples, who could attend and minister to men and women respectively in the crowds. They are strengthened by being “with him.”
