At the Feet of Christ

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 (NRSV)

Beatriz Nascimento is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When she thinks about the struggle for women's rights around the world, she is reminded of the women who came before her. They overcame many challenges, and their work allows her to be where she is. Beatriz especially thinks of the time many of those women must have spent at the feet of Jesus.

In Luke 10, Mary sat at Jesus' feet to hear his teachings. Women did not often participate in teaching this way, but Mary overcame prejudice to listen to Jesus. Like Mary, Beatriz's mother always overcame challenges to spend time with Christ. She valued daily family devotional time, and she always made time for us to share their experiences and pray. Her paternal grandmother also had a strong faith, and she regularly recited Bible verses to express it. She worked tirelessly to support her children, staying strong and overcoming many challenges.

John 14:12 makes her reflect on the great works of so many women - works that reached far beyond their own lives. May we be grateful to those who have inspired our faith and paved the way for us. And may the image of sitting at Jesus' feet lead us to reflect on the ways we can overcome difficulties and do great works.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the women who inspire us. Help us as we navigate life's challenges while striving to stay near to you, in Jesus' name. Amen.