Matthew 27:56

“among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

Although women are not a majority among the clergy or church leadership, they form a significant majority of those who love Jesus very dearly. At the foot of the cross and in the wake of the crucifixion, we don’t see leaders like Peter and other important disciples. In this rendition of the crucifixion story, only the women followed Him diligently all the way to the cross. While Peter and others may have been too fearful or too discouraged to still follow openly, the women continued in total devotion to Jesus. They were willing to identify with Him publicly, and to bear His shame and His pain with Him.

Oh! Blessed be the God of heaven who has sent His daughters amidst the weak sons of men. And even though they do not clamor for positions of power in the Church, neither do they criticize the men who do, yet these daughters of Zion remain unflinchingly loyal to Jesus. They know that what really matters is not human accolades of recognition but their pouring out adoration on Jesus. It’s interesting to note that the mother of James and John was there but the beloved “close associates of Jesus” were absent. Oh! What would the Church be like without the unwavering and extreme loyalty of the daughters of God in her midst? They are our living epistles of true devotion to Jesus, and they should be honored as such.

“Thank You, Lord, for granting us the blessedness of having women in the Church. Thank You, Lord, for the jewels of devotion placed as examples in the Church. We commit to honor these women of God today and every day, in Jesus name. Amen.”