在新約中，【路加福音】被稱為「女性的福音」，不是因為它帶給女仕們甚麼好消息，亦沒有把她們從男性的勞役中，解放出來。而是它在父權社會的世代中，揭示出女性的重要地位。的確，時至今日，在天主教的聖統制中，女性完全沒有立足之地。但這並不表示天主教不尊重女性，或者不承認她們的貢獻，而是天主教的女性知所定位，並默默地在她們的位置中，尋找天主的旨意，尋求突破。
在舊約的歷史中，女性也曾寫下光輝的幾頁，例如塔瑪爾（創38）、責羅斐哈得的女兒（戶27）、辣哈布（蘇2）、德波辣和雅厄耳（民4）、盧德（盧）、亞納（撒上1）、約舍巴（列下11）、友弟德（友）、艾斯德爾（艾）等等，她們大部份是民族英雌，拯救以色列民脫離敵手；或者在信仰上，立下矚目的榜樣。她們的共通之處，就是敬畏天主，守其本份；但時候來到了，便突圍而出，從而帶給別人生命。
在今天讀經提到的婦女之中，我們認識瑪利亞瑪達肋納比較多。她對耶穌基督的愛護和敬畏是不容懷疑的。瑪達肋納當然敬畏為她趕走七個魔鬼的耶穌，但這份敬畏更昇華成為對主基督的愛，且看她如何拉著復活了的基督不放便可以知道。（若20:17）。後來，耶穌基督派遣瑪達肋納向宗徒報告復活的喜訊，她成了「宗徒們的宗徒」，把生命傳送給別人。從瑪達肋納身上，我們找到「敬畏上主」如何開啟「智慧」。就是從敬畏出發，事奉基督，培養出渴慕基督的愛。
父啊！願我們有如這些熱心婦女的慷慨，渴慕事奉耶穌基督。亞孟。
Breakthrough at the Right Times (Luke 8:1-3)
In the New Testament, the gospel of Luke is often called the "Gospel for Women". Not that it brings any good news to women or that it liberates women from the servitude to men. Rather, it reveals the important roles played by women in the patriarchal society. Truly, even today, women have no place in the Catholic Hierarchy. But that does not mean the Catholic Church does not respect women or not recognize their contributions. Rather, Catholic women know how to position themselves. Silently they seek God’s will and look for breakthroughs from their positions.
In Old Testament times, many women had their brilliant stories written down in history. To name a few, we have Tamar (Genesis 38), the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27), Rahab (Joshua 2), Deborah and Jael (Judges 4), Ruth, Hannah (1 Samuel 1), Jehosheba (2 Kings 11), Judith and Esther etc. They were heroines who had saved the Israelites from the hands of their enemies, or had set up eye-catching examples in faith. They had one thing in common. They feared God and knew their positions. But when the right time came, they broke through and brought people life.
Among the women mentioned in the reading today, we know more about Mary Magdalene. We have no doubt about her care and fear of Jesus Christ. Of course Magdalene feared Jesus who had driven out seven demons from her. But this fear had sublimed into a love of Christ the Lord. See how she held the risen Christ (John 20:17). Later, Jesus Christ sent Magdalene to report the good news of resurrection to the other apostles. She became the "Apostle of the Apostles", passing on life to the others. From Magdalene, we discover how the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom. That is to say, we begin with the fear of the Lord, serve Christ and build up a desire for the love of Christ.
Father! May we become generous like the pious women and desire to serve Jesus Christ. Amen.
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