Gospel: Luke 8: 1-3
Today's Gospel portion makes it abundantly clear that in addition to the twelve apostles Jesus also had women accompany him and help him in his ministry of healing, liberating, and nourishing other people. No distinction is made between functions or roles - everyone is engaged in the same work in imitation of the Lord Jesus. However, there is an important detail noted in the text that is worth highlighting and reflecting upon.
The passage states that these women now part of Jesus' ministry were those who had been healed and delivered from their demons. Earlier we saw how Peter's mother-in-law was healed by Jesus, and she immediately arose to serve (diakonia) others. These women follow that very example, the example of the model disciple, which is to respond to God's love in our lives by extending that love and mercy to others by healing, liberating, and feeding them at table.
Each one of us has been healed by God, liberated from our demons, and fed by the Lord Jesus. The proper response of the disciple is not to monetize that through shameless self-promotion. It is to set aside the self altogether and to bring that love and mercy of God in the form of helping others to heal, to find deliverance from what holds them bound, in feeding the hungry in our world. While the twelve argue about who is most important, let us imitate the women in the authentic path of discipleship.
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