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| Image by Verrant James |
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The Ancestors of Jesus:
Ruth
A GREETING
You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.
(Psalm 4:7)
READINGS
An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah...
Ruth and Boaz begot Obed...
(Matthew 1:1a;5)
So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.” He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter
(Ruth 3:6-10)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
The meadows clothe themselves with flocks;
the valleys deck themselves with grain;
they shout and sing together for joy.
(Psalm 65:13)
A REFLECTION
[Hope] is a process we can apply to any situation, and it involves three key steps. First, we start from where we are by taking in a clear view of reality, acknowledging what we see and how we feel. Second, we identify what we hope for in terms of the direction we’d like things to move in or the values we’d like to see expressed. And third, we take steps to move ourselves or our situation in that direction.
- from Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in with
Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power, by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone
VERSE OF THE DAY
May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field.
(Psalm 72:16)
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| Herb robert (aka crow's foot or fox geranium) growing out of a tree stump. Ancient Celtic practice observed the plant as a signal of when it would rain, by the way in which its leaves would close and redden just before a shower. (Image: SC) Macy's words come just before the passage in today's reflection. |
From today until Saturday, in the spirit of the thin places of 'Samhain' which bring us closer to loved ones who are gone, we will explore some of the ancestors of Jesus. An ancestor of Jesus was Ruth, whose story is told in the Book of Ruth.
Widowed, Ruth has traveled away from her home region with her mother-in-law Naomi, another widow. Naomi encourages Ruth to leave her and go back to her people, so that she may continue to have a good life. Instead, Ruth chooses to stay close to Naomi, out of deep loyalty and gratiude. Determined to see her do well, Naomi conceives a plan for Ruth to attach herself to Boaz, someone who has already shown her kindness. Ruth and Boaz meet as a result of the ancient and biblical practice of gleaning, in which those who have little or no means follow behind the work of harvesters, taking whatever is left behind.
Gathering grain from the land is integral to the love shown by these three people. The people offer hospitality and generosity and so does the land. The Celtic love of the earth flows from a deep consciousness of the ways in which the earth offers life to all created matter. How much are we in our own times willing to have the same kind of reverence for it?
Over the next few days, we will reflect on the writings of Joanna Macy, a Buddhist eco-philosopher and scholar who believed in the profound interconnectedness of all things, and who created a movement that has influenced individuals and communities around the world. In the quotation above from her book Active Hope, she invites us to imagine ourselves into a different future. We can see some of her advice embodied in the story of Ruth and Naomi, who make decisions in each of the three ways she names.
Who are the ancestors you never knew but have heard stories about for their way of being in the world? How might they accompany you as you enter a pilgrimage of waiting, wondering, and walking toward the Christ child?
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| Image by Caroline Johnston |
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Scripture passages are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition.
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LC† Vigil in Hope is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!
