July 21, 2013

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre,
as he sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
“Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way.”
The men replied, “Very well, do as you have said.”

Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
“Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls.”
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before the three men;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.

They asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?”
He replied, “There in the tent.”
One of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

R. (1a) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Reading 2 Col 1:24-28

Brothers and sisters:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his body, which is the church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Gospel Lk 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.

Learning from Martha and Mary

Pastor’s Column

16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 21, 2013

This Sunday’s gospel of Martha and Mary is found only in Luke (Luke 10:38 – 42). Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem where he’s going to offer his life on the cross. He, and possibly his disciples, have come there to get away from the crowds, to find a place of calm and peace and fellowship with friends that Jesus feels comfortable with. But there’s a problem – Martha is busy serving food – in fact the scripture says she is overwhelmed – and finds herself getting angry with her sister, Mary, who is sitting at the feet of Jesus and is not helping her at all. Who can blame Martha for this if so many mouths suddenly showed up at the door? But Jesus seems to indicate that he appreciated what Mary was doing more than Martha. What can we learn from this?

First of all, does Jesus feel at home within you? Is he a welcome guest in all circumstances? Ideally, within us there will exist a balance between a healthy, listening prayer life and a commitment to putting the Lord’s words into action. Martha’s heart is in the right place; she’s busy serving, and this is what the church does. Mary is busy listening and that’s what Jesus needed at that time. Martha was not in tune with what Jesus wanted because she could not see past her need to prepare an elaborate meal.

Without prayer, we may find that, like Martha, we are busy about many things and feeling we are doing God’s work and his will, but are, in fact, moving fast, but in the wrong direction! It is like a person who is making excellent time on the freeway but finds in the end he is traveling in the wrong direction! Martha is doing an act of kindness and this is a good thing; but she insists that it be her way of serving, and is not open to what Christ needs at this moment. Mary, on the other hand, was in tune with what Jesus needed because she was listening. She literally sits at his feet, which is the posture of attentiveness and of focusing her whole attention on Christ.

Remember that Jesus said a couple of weeks ago that he “has nowhere to lay his head”. Well, in a sense, this is still true today in that Christ has no home on earth except in the hearts of people who love him. Jesus still looks for friendly homes where he can be at ease, where he is listened to and served in a way that he desires. There are certainly any number of people that don’t love Jesus very much in this world, and, in fact, do everything they can to throw him out of their house. We Christians should be doing all we can to make him welcome in our own homes.

Finally, we are all called to have both Martha and Mary within us. At Mass, we see this balance in action: in the Eucharist, like Martha, we share a meal and sacrifice with Christ (which he himself prepares for us), and in the readings we hear Jesus speak to us and we listen attentively like Mary did.

Father Gary

Sunday Scripture Study

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

July 21, 2013

Click here for USCCB readings

Opening Prayer

First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a

Psalm: 15:2-5

Second Reading: Colossians 1:24-28

Gospel Reading: Luke 10:38-42

In this Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus pauses on his journey to Jerusalem to accept the hospitality of his friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus of Bethany.

Bethany was a small village about 2 miles southeast of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of Mt. Olivet (John 11:18). Jesus once attended a banquet there at the house of Simon the Leper (Luke 7) and it was near the spot where Jesus would ascend to heaven (Luke 24:50-51). It was also the place where Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11), a miracle which would solidify opposition to him among his opponents in Jerusalem.

Martha (whose name means “Lady”) prompts Jesus to ask her sister Mary to help with the serving. Mary, who would later anoint Jesus’ head and wash his feet with her tears and hair out of repentance (Mark 14:3; John 11:2, 12:3), sits at his feet like a disciple (John 8:35; Acts 22:3). Martha feels that Mary has her priorities in the wrong order. Jesus, however, informs her of what is really most important.

QUESTIONS:

In the First Reading, Abraham does everything in his power to extend hospitality to the three strangers (latter to be revealed as angels—possibly a theophany, i.e. a manifestation of the Holy Trinity. See Hebrews 13:1-2). In the Second Reading, Paul emphasizes that self-sacrifice is a participation in the saving work of God. What do these two readings each tell us about the attitude of service we should have toward God and man?

In the Gospel, how do the two sisters differ? Granted that Martha is doing something important, how can Jesus say that Mary’s choice is better? What about Jesus’ call to servant-hood (Matthew 20:25-28; John 13:12-17)? What does Jesus mean when he tells Martha that “one thing is needful”? What is Jesus’ point?

What attitude do you think prompts Martha to ask Jesus to correct her sister? What is the difference between how a request was made by Mary, Jesus’ Mother (see John 4:1ff), and by Martha? What is the result of each? What can we learn of how we are to pray from this?

In what area of your life to you need to be more of a servant? A listener to the Lord? If Jesus dropped in on you, what would he point out that distracts you from the most important things in life, like spending time with him?

Closing Prayer

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 2443-2449, 2709-2719 Do not worry over things that generate preoccupation, and anxiety. One thing only is necessary: to lift up your spirit and love God. –St. Padre Pio

16th Sunday: Take a spiritual breath

"Martha . . . there is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part."

Sunday Word: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072113.cfm

Gen 18: 1-10a
Col 1: 24-28
Lk 10: 38-42

Hospitality is one of the most important virtues that anyone could offer. To welcome family, friends, and strangers into our lives goes a long way towards bridging the differences of one another. I think we pride ourselves in the Church to be a hospitable people. But, unlike that of ancient times in which hospitality was not just a good idea but an obligation, we find ourselves today with somewhat of a mixed message.

How many Churches remain locked unless they are in use? Virtually every one we could safely say. In the same manner, we routinely lock our homes and our automobiles; we raise fences around personal property, we have surveillance cameras around schools and banks, we install alarm systems in order to catch any intruder, we fear “identity theft” on credit cards and bank statements, we go through all sorts of scrutiny when it comes to applying for a bank loan or mortgage on your house, etec, etec. And then we say, “Welcome!”

There are obvious good and wise reasons to take all of the above precautions but in our attitudes and in particular in matters of faith, we must take exception to such often justified paranoia of the dangers that lurk around us. Our image as Church should always be one that says, “All are welcome.” And, the same is true with God in our life. Yet, how consciously do we welcome the Lord in our midst?

Our God is a God without borders. He is a God of invitation and when we welcome Him into our lives, we do “the better part.”

This Sunday our readings carry a parallel theme from last Sunday’s story of the Good Samaritan. There we recognized the prime value of compassion; that no matter who, even our enemy, can do good through the grace of compassionate care for another in need.

This Sunday we hear of Abram, Martha and Mary; all three of whom, welcomed God into their personal space and their lives.

Like Moses and like David, Abram was a shepherd simply minding his own business in his nomadic life; moving about from place to place as their herds grazed in the desert. How important it was for survival that occasional wanderers could find rest, safety and hospitality in the harsh environment should they come upon a shepherd camped among his tents. And so, in the reading from Genesis we hear of three visitors to Abram who were “standing nearby” his temporary settlement.

Abram eagerly welcomes these men, who we hear in the first lines of the reading, were “the Lord.” Abram is eager for them (God and two angels) to stay. He “ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them . . . and said ‘Sir . . . please do not go on . . .’” Though there were three (early indication of the Trinity?) Abram addresses these persons as one.

The point is his enthusiasm, his attitude of hospitality and the sure blessing that came to him and his wife Sarah due to their respect. God promises Abram, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.”

In like manner, the story of Martha and Mary is a familiar one. They welcomed Jesus to their home. Tradition is clear that Jesus had a special relationship with these sisters and their brother Lazarus who he raised from the dead. Maybe he could always find a place to hide out and rest with them should things get a bit dicey in Jerusalem. Nonetheless, the story is powerful in its cultural commentary.

Like the woman who came to Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisee (Lk 7: 36 – 8:3) and wept at his feet, Mary sits here at the feet of Jesus listening to his every word. Martha, ever busy about all the necessary things of hospitality, is well-meaning certainly but Jesus uses the occasion in order to teach a basic lesson about discipleship.

To see Mary move boldly to such a position at Jesus’ feet is not only suggestive, though not intended to be such, but counter-cultural. Mary takes the social position of a man, a male disciple of the learned rabbi, who is positioned to learn from the Master. She sits and attentively listens to his teaching. Such chutzpah!

We might say the scene is both instructive and inspiring. It seems to indicate what Jesus so often showed – that he came for all: male/female; slave/free; Jew and Gentile. In this scenario we see the Good Samaritan who reached out and broke through the cultural prejudice for the sake of compassion. We hear the woman weeping at the feet of Jesus for her sin and our Lord tenderly forgives her. The woman caught in adultery whom Jesus does not condemn but gently admonishes, “Do not do this again.”

Women of Jesus’ time were considered to be servants – their place was in the home. If they were widowed it was the responsibility of the oldest son to care for them and if childless they were reduced to begging. Jesus not only broke through those barriers but indeed says that we too must do the same in our human relationships.

To contemplate the Lord and his Gospel in our lives – to sit at his feet as we do when we attend Holy Mass and hear his word in the Scriptures, to find time for reflective prayer in our busy lives is the better part. The rest of the details will fall into place. When we find him, we must be attentive. As cliché as it may sound, “When we’re too busy to pray, we’re too busy.”

Not only must we listen it seems but we must also welcome the Lord; we must invite him to come into our “homes.” Are we too caught up in duties, responsibilities, and busy work that just fills our time to stop and take a spiritual breath with the Lord? I know how easy it is for parents or for myself as full-time pastor to find excuses rather than take the time to feed myself spiritually. “I’ll get to it later. I don’t have the time right now.” Sound familiar?

The Eucharist is that moment when we gather not just for a welcome but for a good listen. It might be true that one reason why regular (weekly) Church attendance is down is because so many have filled their days/weeks/ and our life with sound and distractions; with activities and priorities that have blinded us to see the “better part” with the Lord as a higher value.

When Christ feeds us in his Word and his Body are we prepared and disposed to sense his presence? Do we just show up for Mass or do we truly make use of that time to listen and reflect? Is my whole life centered around my personal needs and wants or do I truly make time for others?

“Lord, save us from useless and shallow distractions. Help us to see the higher good that you offer.”

Insight Scoop

Mary, Martha, and "the better part"

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for July 21, 2013, the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Carl E. Olson

Readings:
• Gen 18:1-10a
• Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
• Col 1:24-28
• Lk 10:38-42

Americans are, generally speaking, a pragmatic and practical people. We know how to get things done, how to organize, how to make a plan and put it into action. Work may be “a rat race” and “a grind,” but we take satisfaction in knowing we work hard, do a good job, and are productive members of society.

But to what end?

By “end,” I mean “ultimate end.” This question is pursued relentlessly and with sometimes unsettling results in the little classic, Leisure: The Basis of Culture (Ignatius Press, 2009), written in the 1950s by the German philosopher, Josef Pieper. Western man overvalues work, Pieper argued, and he has lost the meaning and importance of true leisure, instead substituting shallow entertainment and empty diversions. Leisure is essential to be whole, and the soul of leisure is “divine worship” of the Creator. “Celebration of God in worship,” writes Pieper, “cannot be done unless it is done for its own sake.”

Hold that thought and cut away to the dusty, first-century village of Bethany and the home of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. Jesus, having told his disciples of his approaching suffering and death and having performed healings and exorcisms (Lk. 9), was likely ready for a brief respite before heading into Jerusalem, just two miles away. Martha was an exemplary hostess. She believed, at the very least, that Jesus was a great prophet, and she took pride in treating this friend and guest of distinction to the finest care and food (note the clear parallels with today’s reading from Genesis). And so Martha was busily preparing and serving food, even while her sister, Mary, sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to him speak.

What happened next was not an ordinary part of Semitic culture and hospitality: Martha sought to draw Jesus into the middle of a domestic disagreement. And she pulled out all of the stops in doing so, employing the guilt trip (“Lord, do you not care…”), playing the victim card (“that my sister has left by myself…”), and employing the exasperated demand (“Tell her to help me”). Things went from agreeable to awkward quickly!

I’ve heard the words of Jesus interpreted sometimes as being a rebuke to Martha. But that is unfair to Martha and it skews, or misses altogether, the essential point. The Church Fathers are quite agreed on this point. St. Gregory the Great, for example, wrote, “For what is set forth by Mary, who sitting down gave ear to the words of our Lord, save the life of contemplation? And what by Martha, so busied with outward services, save the life of action? Now Martha's concern is not reproved, but that of Mary is even commended.” He then arrived at this vital conclusion: “For the merits of the active life are great, but of the contemplative, far better.” Everything that Martha did was good. Yet in pursuing good things, she overlooked the greatest good.

What was it? Mary, in sitting at Jesus’ feet, showed her submission to him. She literally “listened to his word”; that is, she listened to the logos of the Logos. She was completely and wholly present to the Incarnate Word; there was no practical end to this being present, for it was simply an act of love and worship. “To cling to God and to the things of God,” wrote St. John Cassian, “this must be our major effort, this must be the road that the heart follows unswervingly. Any diversion, however impressive, must be regarded as secondary, low-grade and certainly dangerous.” And St. Ambrose sums it up perfectly: “Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word.”

Mary, in choosing “the better part” had made the right choice. She completely gave her attention and herself to the Lord, fully aware of the Word of God present in flesh and blood, and in spoken word. In so choosing, she gained what could never be taken from her.

(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the July 18, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)

Regnum Christi

“Only Jesus, Only Jesus”

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Father Robert DeCesare, LC

Luke 10: 38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are my God and my all. You created me, and you made me to be happy with you. Lord, I hope in you, because I trust that you will not lead me astray. I love you, Lord, because you are the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through you, Lord, and I love you for being the mediator before the Father.

Petition: Lord, be the center, standard, and example of my life.

1. “You Are Anxious About Many Things” - It seems that things are moving faster all the time and that more and more things vie for my time. I serve as a chauffeur for the household, I spend a large part of my time accompanying the children for extracurricular activities, and people left and right want to talk to me. There is so much going on. Our culture almost demands that I do all these things. What is more, it seems at times like no one understands my dilemma. I am trying to do what is right, I am trying to be responsible, and it seems like no one else is. I identify myself with Martha, Lord, in a world which is so active and at times seems to fly by. Help me to make the right choices and to fulfill your will.

2. “There Is Need of Only One Thing” - Love Christ. Live for him. As life progresses and eternity draws near, only the love of Christ remains. Everything else turns into smoke, mist, nothing. Christ´s love is the treasure for which I should sell everything else, even egotism, pride and vanity. Lord, you are all I need. What else will matter when I finish my life? Who else can fill my soul with satisfaction and peace? Who else brings meaning to my life but you? Remind me of this, because many times it is so easy for me to lose my focus and direction in the world. It seems so easy for me to put other things first.

3. “Choose the Better Part” - Lord, your words to Martha strike a chord in my heart. I can let the noise and distractions around me nick at my heart and misdirect me, but all that will do is bring about more confusion and uneasiness. However, if I choose you, what great confidence it will bring me to know that you will not be taken from me. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to be fulfilled. Why should I fool myself looking for happiness in the things of this world when you supply it, Lord? Why should I settle for something less than the better part which you want to give me? Shouldn’t I be excited to be able to sit at your feet and spend time with you when you want to teach me what it means to be the best I can be; to be holy?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, give me the confidence of knowing that you are all I need. I do not want to distract myself with anything else. I want to sit at your feet. I want to listen to what you want to tell me. I want very much to learn from you.

Resolution: After Mass I will make a visit to Christ in thanksgiving for having received him in the Eucharist, and I will take a moment to listen to what he has to tell me.

Scripture Speaks: The Suffering of Anxiety

by Gayle Somers on July 19, 2013 ·

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Today, Jesus visits the home of two sisters and causes an upheaval. Why?

Gospel (Read Lk 10:38-42)

St. Luke tells us of a visit Jesus made to a village where “a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him.” It must have been a comfort to Jesus to receive a welcome like this. He met many different responses on His journey from Galilee to Jerusalem—some not so warm (see Lk 9:52-53; 10:13-16, 25). Perhaps He was relieved at the prospect of a cordial home visit.

However, rather than the presence of Jesus bringing a blessing to Martha’s home, there was trouble right away. When Jesus arrived, Mary, Martha’s sister, simply “sat beside the Lord at His feet listening to Him speak.” It was probably the custom to spring into action upon receiving a guest in the home in that time and place—offering water to clean feet dirty from desert dust, preparing a meal, etc. Why did Mary choose, instead, to drop everything and be quiet? Was there something about Jesus that assured her He was no ordinary guest? Were His words so compelling that she didn’t want to miss a single one of them? Did she sense immediately that the first priority in His visit to her home was to pay attention to everything He wanted to say to the people in the room (assuming His disciples were with Him)?

Martha became very upset, because she launched into all the requisite activity of showing hospitality to guests by herself. She became so provoked in this fevered work that she faulted both Jesus and her sister for making her life difficult: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?” She believed that others had caused the isolation she felt in her labors. She blamed them for her unhappiness—always a bad sign. Sorely frustrated, Martha tries to take charge of the situation, since others were failing her: “Tell her to help me.”

Are we surprised by this boldness? Imagine telling Jesus, the Guest, what He ought to do for Martha, the hostess. As inappropriate as this was, Jesus’ response to the harried woman is full of tenderness: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.” Jesus is more concerned for her than He is about the service she was attempting to offer Him. He diagnosed the heart of her problem—anxiety and worry. She was entirely focused on the project at hand, the work she thought was expected of her. It filled her with distress and then with fault-finding. She wanted to do something for Jesus, but perhaps it came out of a sense of duty, or self-regard, or just habit. Whatever the source, Jesus needed to help her out of it. What would have been a better way for Martha to receive this visit from Jesus?

He tells her quite directly: “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” When Jesus comes to visit, when we invite Him into our lives as Martha invited Him into her home, the best response is to stop, be still, and listen carefully to what He has to say. The Guest gets all the attention first. There will be time to do something for Him, of course, but first He must do something for us. Mary understood that right away. We can assume that after Jesus’ gentle correction, Martha did, too.

Do we?

Possible response: Lord Jesus, anxiety and worry are always signs that I have forgotten the one thing needful. Please help me remember this.

First Reading (Read Gen 18:1-10a)

Here we have a story of the patriarch, Abraham, offering energetic hospitality to three mysterious visitors—clearly a divine visitation. This story was well-known to the Jews and very likely helped form the tradition of hospitality among them even down to Jesus’ day, as we see reflected in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2). Was Abraham’s response to his visitors any different from Martha’s? Well, we can see that Abraham was entirely focused on his guests. Notice that first he asked their permission to offer them the usual services of hospitality, including the preparation of a meal. Then “the men replied, ‘Very well, do as you have said.’” Would Jesus’ visit to Martha and Mary have turned out differently if Martha had first asked Jesus if He wanted anything from her household? Perhaps He would have told her right away to simply sit with Mary and listen for awhile. The mistake she made was taking charge of the situation, forgetting to focus on her Guest.

Thus, Abraham becomes an excellent example of how to receive a Divine Visitor. Even though he bustled around in lots of activity, he did it with the approval of his guests. Humility and hospitality should never be separated.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, please help me have the focus, humility, and then the energy of Abraham when I am in Your presence.

Psalm (Read Ps 15:2-5)

The psalm extols the life of justice, and, as we read it, we can see something of how Martha, in our Gospel, became misguided in her hospitality. The just man “thinks truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.” We remember the bitterness in Martha’s heart over the work she thought she was supposed to do when Jesus visited her. It led to harsh words about both Jesus and her sister. This was not what His visit was supposed to do. She completely lost sight of the fact that Jesus was present in her own home. He called her back to reality, however. We can perhaps imagine Martha then wanting to sing with joy with the psalmist: “He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read Col 1:24-28)

St. Paul gives us a wonderful perspective on the sufferings we will experience as we serve the Lord. Had Martha been asked by Jesus to work hard on her hospitality, she could have responded to the burden of it in the same way St. Paul did to his sufferings: “I rejoice in my sufferings.” How could he do this? He understood the glorious mystery of the Gospel: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Whatever we do for Him in our bodies that results in suffering is how we fill up in our flesh “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Body, which is the Church.” All that is “lacking” in Christ’s afflictions is the part He asked us to share when He invited us to take up our cross daily and follow Him.

What a difference this makes in our bodily suffering! Of course we can rejoice.

Possible response: Lord Jesus, to rejoice in my sufferings seems so otherworldly. I will need your help every single day to do it.

This Sunday’s Gospel: “Catholic” in the Bible

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. on July 19, 2013 ·

I once got a harsh letter from a Baptist lady protesting that she could not find the word “Catholic” anywhere in the Bible.

True, the earliest occurrence of the term is in a letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch, written 20 years after the last book of the New Testament. But the idea that the Church is “catholic” pops up everywhere in the gospels and epistles. The Greek word “catholic” comes from the word for “wholeness” or “fullness.” The “catholic” church is not just a regional sect for an exclusive little group. Rather it must include the whole family of God over the whole world, welcoming all, from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (Rev 7: 9). In addition, the “catholic” church cannot pick and choose which doctrines are trendy and convenient, but must be faithful to the whole truth. Paul points out that the essence of his apostolic call was to be a “catholic” teacher: “I became a minister of this church through the commission God gave me to preach among you his word in its fullness” . . . we admonish all men and teach them in the full measure of wisdom, hoping to make every man complete in Christ (Col 1:25, 28, NAB).

One day, the fullness of life and truth came walking into the living room of a pair of sisters named Martha and Mary. They immediately recognized the privilege of having Jesus in their home and set to work fulfilling the sacred duty of hospitality.

The problem was, they had conflicting ideas of what that duty entailed. Martha’s response is very recognizable, especially by those familiar with Mediterranean culture. “Bring out the coffee, the wine (what kind do you prefer?), make sure the china and silverware are laid out in proper order, get out a full assortment of hot and cold hors d’oeurves (make sure the hot are really served hot!).”

Mary thought that the supreme compliment that she could pay to her divine guest, even more than world-class refreshments, was to give him her full attention. The fullness of truth had come to her home to nourish, enlighten, and transform her. Not to receive and unwrap this wonderful gift would be an insult to the giver.

Martha’s mistake was not that she attended to the guest’s bodily needs. The story of Martha and Mary is not an endorsement of laziness and passivity. In Gen 18:1-10 God visits Abraham in the form of three travelers, and Abraham and Sara pull out all the stops when it comes to food and drink, and this was good.

Martha’s problem was that she allowed the activity of hospitality to become a distraction. She couldn’t see the forest for the trees. She lost her focus and actually got mad that her sister would not join her in her frenetic fussing.

Mary kept her focus. She was not passive – attentiveness to the fullness of truth is supremely active. That’s why the contemplative, monastic life has always been held in the highest esteem in the Catholic Church.

I was once told by a monk that the greatest sin of the modern world is not its lewdness but its busyness. We live in the most distracted, frenetic society of all time. It is tempting in such a society to think we are good Christians and deserve applause because we look God from time to time out of the corner of our eye.

But the fullness of truth, the fullness of life, the fullness of grace deserves our full attention. Jesus really cannot be merely a part of one’s life, but must be the center of one’s life. It does not mean that our life can’t be full of activities. But unless we preserve some quiet time each day to sit at his feet as did Mary, our action will become distraction and we’ll be as snappy and unhappy as Martha.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 29, Issue 4

<< Sunday, July 21, 2013 >>

16th Sunday Ordinary Time

Genesis 18:1-10
Colossians 1:24-28
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Psalm 15:2-5
Luke 10:38-42
Similar Reflections

PRAYER IS EVEN BETTER

"Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." —Luke 10:42

Hospitality was a responsibility and privilege highly valued by the Jewish people. In offering hospitality, we may be entertaining angels (Heb 13:2) or even God Himself (Gn 18:17ff). Abraham and Sarah, for example, offered hospitality to God and two angels. As a result, God promised them they would miraculously have a son, although both were almost a hundred years old (see Gn 18:10). Hospitality is the breeding ground of promise, blessing, and miracles.

As awesome as hospitality is, Jesus claimed that prayer is even better (Lk 10:42). This was a surprising revelation. Jesus even maintained the necessity of praying always (Lk 18:1; cf 1 Thes 5:17). He did this Himself, praying early in the morning and late at night (Mk 1:35; Lk 22:39ff). Jesus prayed in such a new way that people who had prayed for years asked Him to teach them to pray (Lk 11:1).

After Jesus ascended into heaven, His disciples caught onto Jesus' message on prayer and devoted themselves to constant prayer for nine days (Acts 1:14). The Church was born after this nine-day gestation period of prayer. From that point on, the Spirit has empowered the followers of Jesus to devote themselves to prayer (see Acts 2:42).

Prayer: Jesus, teach me to pray (Lk 11:1). Holy Spirit, help me overcome my weakness in prayer (Rm 8:26).

Promise: "Even now I find my joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His body, the church." —Col 1:24

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who opened wide the doors to His Father's house! "Praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven" (Ps 148:13).

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