Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
In the first reading for the Masses for yesterday and today, we are given basically a summary of the entire Book of Ruth. In Friday’s passage, a famine strikes the land of Judah so Naomi travels with her husband and two sons to Moab. The family stays here for 10 years, and the two sons marry Moabite women. By the end of 10 years, the husband of Naomi and the two sons have died. One of Naomi’s daughters-in-law returns to her people, and Naomi encourages the other one to return to her people also. However, this daughter-in-law, Ruth promises to stay with Naomi. “… wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge, your people will be my people, and your God my God.” By this time, the famine in Judah had ended, and so Naomi and Ruth both returned to Bethlehem in Judah, from which Naomi and her family had originally departed.
Back in Bethlehem, Naomi encourages Ruth to make herself known to Boaz, one of her kinsmen. Boaz and Ruth eventually marry and have a son named Obed. In turn, Obed became the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David. So what we have here is a very charming story of faithfulness and of how God in turn rewards this faithfulness. By her faithfulness to Naomi, and ultimately to God, Ruth becomes an ancestor of Jesus, the Messiah.
Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections