In the Gospel of Luke, the author recorded that the despised tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus, and consequently the Pharisees and scribes complained. Jesus, therefore, related three parables in a row, all of which depicted God’s being deeply concerned for that which was lost.
The first parable is of a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to seek the one lost-the shepherd is God.
The third parable is of the prodigal son-the father is God.
But the second parable; the second parable is about a woman who sought after a lost coin-the woman is God!
How easy it is to think of God as the shepherd and God as the Father. We do it frequently. It’s common image in the Church. Often seen as statues in the halls or art on the walls. But how often have you seen God as the woman! Where is this art? Where are these statues? How frequently we glorify God the good shepherd. How frequently we speak to God the Father.
But how strongly we neglect God the woman!
Jesus did not shrink form the notion of God as feminine. In fact, it would appear that Luke included this womanly image of God quite deliberately at this point, for the scribes and Pharisees were among those who most of all denigrated women-just as they did the “tax-collectors and sinners.” (Luke 15)
(Adapted from: Jesus Was a Feminist, Leonard Swidler)
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