That God used women as prophets in Jesus’ day–an era when men ruled–is an invitation to see God in new places. Mary, mother of Jesus, and her relative Elizabeth were prophets, chosen by God to proclaim a message. The two women–the young and the old–carry forth God’s message, a message that would change the world. That revolutionary message was proclaimed in a house, in what we can imagine was a kitchen conversation between two women.
The story of Mary and Elizabeth invites us to change the way we think about prophecy and revelation. The story invites us to see that the good news is revealed in settings where it is least expected. Look to the marginalized in our world. What message are they bringing?
This is adapted from an article, “Speaker calls women to look for messages in unpredictable places,” based on a presentation of Jane Redmont at the Eighth Triennial Gathering (2011) of Women of the ELCA. It appeared in the September 2011 issue of Interchange.