The first reading today comes from the Book of Ruth, named for the Moabite woman who commits herself to the Israelite people by an oath to her mother-in-law Naomi and becomes the great-grandmother of David by marriage to Boaz of Bethlehem. Thus, she is an ancestor in the messianic line that leads to Jesus (cf. Matthew 1:5, the genealogy).
The book portrays the love and loyalty of human beings in working their way through tragic circumstances to participation in the community of the faithful people of God. The key is responsible and loving decision-making: Ruth’s loyalty (Ruth 2:11), her generosity (1:15–17; 2:2, 7) and her willingness to take risks for the sake of righteousness set in motion a chain of beneficial events, while behind the scenes God blesses each step in the developing drama. Ruth is so frequently designated “the Moabite” in the book that the audience of the story is constantly reminded of the universality of the embrace of salvation.
The Book of Ruth is a living example of Jesus’ answer about the greatest of the commandments: “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:39)
Want to know more about the Book of Ruth? Take five minutes and watch this overview video from the good folks at BibleProject.com – The Book of Ruth.
Image credit: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld- Ruth in the Field of Boaz, London Museum | Public Domain