Devotional – November 13, 2025

This is the Pastoral Prayer from Rev. Lori Walke from this past Sunday at Mayflower UCC.  

“What Women Ruined”

No one was particularly surprised, Holy One, when a man used the NY Times opinion page to ask, “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” It was quickly changed to “Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?” but the hand had already been played.

To be fair, women ARE guilty of ruining things, which we know because we’ve read the Bible.

A woman ruined that silent, holy night by bringing a baby into the world to save it, instead of recruiting more violent men to do it.

A woman ruined the chance for that jar of costly perfume to be sold and the money given to the poor when she instead used it to anoint Jesus.

Women ruined the idea that they are too emotional to lead by being the last to leave the foot of the cross and the first to arrive at the tomb.

A woman ruined the idea that God only calls men to preach after the resurrected Christ told her to go and tell the others the Good News.

It turns out that people of faith come from a longline of women who ruined things because they had enough grit and grace to insist on Love. 

Grant us the courage to take up the mantle, Holy One, whether we are shes, hes, or theys – for it will take all of us to ruin the plans of the unjust and the greedy.

We pray in the name of Jesus, who trusted women. Amen.

Peace Be With You. – Paul