Lent Day 23 March 19, 2012

Lenten Reflection for Day 23

Date: Monday March 19, 2012

Author: Howard Shaffer

Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:11–12 (NRSV)

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. 12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman; but all things come from God.

Reflection:

Saint Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth addresses problems that sound much like today. In the verses, he makes clear that men and women come from God. This implies that they are equal in God’s eyes and in the church. This was radical then, and still is in parts of the world. It perfectly reflects Christ’s teaching and what Christ did. Women played equal spiritual roles in Jesus eyes and in the large group that traveled with him. They played an equal spiritual role in the early church. Luke tells how some women who traveled with Jesus’ group used their money to support the group. One of the women was the wife of an official in King Herod’s court! Imagine if there had been supermarket checkout line newspapers then!! The headline might have been “Wife of King’s Official Roams with Controversial Prophet’s Group.”

God chose a woman to bring Jesus to us in the flesh. Mary’s response to the Angel is the perfect example of Christian obedience. “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.”

Illustrations of God’s plan can come from other cultures too. For me, the oriental symbol of the Yin Yang, a circle divided by an “S” shows the relationship between men and women. Where each is weaker, the other is stronger.

Prayer:
Dear God, we thank you for the way you have created us. Help us to always honor your creation and obey your intended plan in our relationships.