There are three books in the Bible named after a woman. Unfortunately they do not get much play in the lectionary, the daily readings of the liturgy. The book of Judith is never featured. The book of Esther gets one weekday reading but no Sundays. The book of Ruth also has not Sunday readings but two during the week. Judith and Esther deal with kings and matters of state. Ruth is a domestic story of in-laws and marriage and trying to make a living and falling in love. Ruth was a foreigner, a pagan, who became the great grandmother of King David, and thus made it into the genealogy of Jesus listed by St. Matthew. “You have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.” The Bible includes this story to demonstrate that God uses the daily fidelity to our family, our duties, our responsibilies to bring about good news.
