Aug.19

Scripture: Lectionary 423: Ruth 1:1.3-6.14-16.22. Psalm
146:5-6.7.8-9.9-10. Matthew 22:34-40:

The Book of Ruth is one of the five small scrolls dedicated to reading and
meditation on certain feasts. Ruth is read on the festival of Weeks
(Shavuoth) or Pentecost. We see Ruth as a very loyal and courageous woman
being guided by the Spirit to be faithful to her mother-in-law, Naomi. We
need this book to counter the violence and terror of the Book of Judges; it
is like a respite of cool weather in the dog days of August! Phyllis
Trible gives us food for thought in her profound analysis of Ruth: "In the
entire biblical epic of Israel, only Abraham approaches this radicalness,
but then he had a call from God (Genesis 12:1-3) and also a wife. Ruth
stands alone, without support human or divine. Moreover, she reverses
sexual allegiance. A young woman commits herself to an old woman in a world
where life depends upon men." (Women in Scripture, page 146).

This work is a creative fictional theological writing that offers us much
consolation and insight into what it means to be faitfhul in love of one's
extended family. It has inspired many authors to tell the story, many
films to enhance its message, and artists to keep it alive in our memories
through their capturing of the scenes within this small book of four
chapters. It is good summer time meditative and spiritual reading.

Young people often choose this book for their wedding, that is, selections
from it. They do this for they see and identify with the love that Ruth
displays. It is a comforting story as well for the elderly and the lonely.
Faithful love, living memories of love, self-sacrifice and counter-cultural
courage are seen in the heroine who gives name to this inspired work. It
ends with a vision of the future as Ruth becomes the great grandmother of
King David who will be the foundation on which Messianism rests. Ruth
gives personalism to this foundation by being involved in the redeeming
blood line of the Messiah.

Ruth and Naomi, another heroine in the book, are great models for
friendship who console one another and bring each other through times of
great national calamity and personal loss. Ruth's words serve for our
prayer this day:
"Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! for wherever you go, I will go,
wherever you lodge, I will lodge, your people shall be my people and your
God, my God."

The story fits into the great commandment of love that is the subject of
the pericope from Matthew today. Jesus'command to love one's neighbor as
yourself is certainly fulfilled in both Ruth and Naomi. We notice, too,
that the town of Bethlehem is mentioned twice in our reading from Ruth.
Thus we are atuned to what we already know from Matthew's Infancy Gospel,
that the birth of the Messiah will take place in Bethlehem and fulfill the
prophet Micah 5:2. The three Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John identify
Jesus with Bethlehem. The word means home or house of bread and through
our belief in the Eucharist we realize the Church is the home of the Bread
of Life, Jesus Christ. He was born of another courageous woman, the mother
of the Messiah, Mary of Nazareth. Amen.