My prayer with today’s readings took me to two places; the importance of the resurrection and the importance of women in Jesus’ ministry.  Not so much their presence, but that we – future Christians - know of both of these.

The reading from First Corinthians is an argument by Paul to convince the people of the resurrection.  It is a logical argument.  Why was it so important to Paul that this be clear?  Without the resurrection, there is no conquering of death.  We are not saved.  So, what is the point?  Jesus would thus be just another preacher who died because of his message. 

The women.  It feels to me that it was important to Luke to mention the presence of the women in his account of Jesus’ life.  It is certainly unusual for the time.  And, these women helped sustain him and were present also at the crucifixion and resurrection.  Pope Francis recently raised the Memorial of St. Mary of Magdela to a Feast wanting to emphasize her role in the life of Jesus, her first witness of the Resurrection and her importance to our Roman Catholic tradition.  Feasts are generally reserved for celebrations of the twelve Apostles.  Pope Francis seems to be making a statement here.

As I sat with these two themes, I struggled with what I was being invited to recognize or hear for myself, today.

It is important to be reminded of the importance of the resurrection.  It speaks to the power of God.  It speaks, obviously, to life after death.  It is our hope.  It gives our life meaning.  Without the resurrection, what is the point?  This was important for me today as I contemplate who is God and how is God active, or not, in my life.

I was then reminded how I was brought to a place of deep gratitude this week as I reflected on my attendance and participate at a recent meeting of directors of Jesuit Ministries of the Chicago/Detroit/Wisconsin Provinces.  I have been in this ministry for four years and this is my third or fourth gathering with this group.  It felt different this time and I was reflecting, trying to savor and name what I was feeling.  I finally came to the place of gratitude for feeling like I “belong at the table”.  There are at least two sides to this.  The biggest is from my perspective.  I have grown in my four years at the retreat center as I experienced a steep learning curve and I finally feel like I can breathe and have something to offer the conversation.  But the other side is important as well.  I am the first lay director (and woman to boot) of the Creighton University Retreat Center.  And it means a great deal to me that I have been welcomed at this gathering and that my input is heard and regarded as significant.  I wonder if this was an important motivator for Luke as he was writing.  The women need to know they are “invited to the table.”  In my prayer, I can hear Jesus whispering that into his ear.  This makes me smile.

As we go about our individual days today, I invite us to think and consider:

How does Christ bring us hope?
How are we being “invited to the table?”
Who are we being called to “invite to the table?”