Ruth: Building a Home for One Another

Lectionary connections
Sunday, November 3
Ruth 3:1-5, 13-17

Placing In Context

Having been so cared for and accompanied by Ruth, Naomi returns the same care for Ruth. “My daughter,” Naomi calls Ruth as Naomi insists that Ruth establish some “security,” which translates more accurately to rest as one finds at home. Naomi has re-established her home and wants Ruth to have that same place of comfort and stability.

Beliefs that Endure

As we read later at the end of chapter 4, Ruth bears children who become known as Naomi’s kin. They have moved forward together, creating a home for one another and making life, stability, and rest possible for generations to come—something that seemed impossible as the story unfolded in chapter 1.

Moving Forward

Reading how a mother-daughter relationship can transform your life’s trajectory, how do we see God as a Mother who cares for us as a daughter? We hear paternal language for God more often than maternal language, but what if we try praying to Mother God to see how those prayers deepen our image of God and connect us with the divine mother who nurtures our souls when all feels lost?

When Frances became a mother, she had to reimagine motherhood so she wouldn’t repeat the shame and judgment she had received. Leaning into maternal language for God allows Frances to tend to the wounds of the mother-daughter relationship so that she can feel free as a beloved daughter of God and a loving mother to her own children.