It’s the Third Sunday in Lent and the first Sunday of what is called “daylight savings time,” so even at this hour, it’s still dark. In spite of the warming temperatures, It feels like winter all over again, so dark in the morning. It wouldn’t be so bad if this flip flop with the hour of the day was later in March or even early in April.
Today is celebrated as International Women’s Day because on this day in 1908 1,500 women marched in New York City demanding shorter working days, better pay, and the right to vote. Just the month before the Supreme Court held that a state could limit the workday for women to 10 hours a day. Most factories at that time required at least 12.
Many, if not most of those women were immigrants, struggling to feed their families on the meager wages earned in factories. Now brown and black immigrants make up a vast number of caregivers, aides in nursing homes and hospitals, as well as day care centers. We need to ask ourselves who will replace them after they are deported as a result of the obsession of the White House
Prayer for the Day
Life-changing God who walks with us before we call on you,
We seek to understand you and what you call us to do;
Bringing us into community, we listen for your voice
Which sometimes comes in surprising places.
Turn the water of or souls into the wine of your Spirit
So we serve you more fully and completely.
In the name of the One who served even to the end,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.
Hilary Rodham Clinton, speech at International Women’s Conference 1995
Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. … It shouldn’t be the exception.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1933-2020)
Wisdom is radiant and unfading and easily discerned by those who love her,
And is found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her
One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
Wisdom of Solomon 6: 12-14
Note: The Wisdom of Solomon was written for Jewish communities in Greek which has gendered nouns. This is the reason the word wisdom has feminine pronouns.