SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
21 JULY 2019
When
Abraham sees the three strangers approaching his tent, he is anxious to show
them hospitality. He runs to meet them
and bows down in their presence, but he also washes their feet (much as Jesus
will wash the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper). He tells them that he will prepare for them
“a little food.” So, Sarah kneads three
measures of flour (40-60 pounds) to make rolls.
Then he gives to his servant a tender, choice steer (500 pounds or more)
to prepare. With curds and milk, he
serves the three visitors a lavish meal.
In return, the three strangers (who represent God) promise that Abraham
and Sarah, now advanced beyond the age of childbearing, would conceive and bear
a son by the time they return the following year.
Abraham’s
lavish hospitality reveals a God who acts in human history, a God who returns
to humans much more than they could ever have given to God. As Christians, we see God’s action fulfilled
in the Incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus entered into our human history in every way except for sin. He was welcomed by people and shared lavish
meals with them. Saint Luke describes
one of those meals today. Given the example
of Abraham and Sarah, we would expect Jesus to praise Martha, his hostess who
worked hard to give hospitality to him.
But, instead, he praises Mary, who sits at his feet without lifting a
finger. Because so many of us who live
busy lives identify with Martha, we wonder what is going on here, knowing that
Jesus would have gone away hungry had it not been for Martha’s work.
In fact,
Jesus encourages his disciples to be active and give themselves in humble
service.
Earlier in Saint Luke’s Gospel, he sends his disciples ahead of him to do the work of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Last Sunday, we heard the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing our role to serve the needs of our neighbor. Today, he corrects Martha to give balance. In the ancient world, only men would sit at the feet of the Master, while women worked in the kitchen. He supports what Mary is doing in defying that sexual stereotype. In sitting at his feet, she is listening to the Word and hearing what he is saying. Jesus had corrected another set of siblings earlier in the Gospel. When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus and his disciples, James and John wanted him to call down fire from heaven in revenge. They had not been listening to his word of mercy and love of enemy. He corrected them and told them to shake the dust from their feet as they continued their journey to Jerusalem. They needed to let go of the pain of rejection and keep their attention on their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God
Earlier in Saint Luke’s Gospel, he sends his disciples ahead of him to do the work of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Last Sunday, we heard the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing our role to serve the needs of our neighbor. Today, he corrects Martha to give balance. In the ancient world, only men would sit at the feet of the Master, while women worked in the kitchen. He supports what Mary is doing in defying that sexual stereotype. In sitting at his feet, she is listening to the Word and hearing what he is saying. Jesus had corrected another set of siblings earlier in the Gospel. When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus and his disciples, James and John wanted him to call down fire from heaven in revenge. They had not been listening to his word of mercy and love of enemy. He corrected them and told them to shake the dust from their feet as they continued their journey to Jerusalem. They needed to let go of the pain of rejection and keep their attention on their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God
In his
interaction with the siblings Martha and Mary, he provides a similar correction. We too are busy about many things. You who are parents give yourselves
completely to your children. You who are
young are involved in many positive activities that teach you how to interact
with other people. You who are good
stewards giving humble service to the parish and providing critical
programs. However, we must listen to the
correction Jesus gives to Martha. We can
easily burn out with too many activities.
We can resent the fact that we do more than others do. We need to do what Mary does. We need to take time to sit at the feet of
Jesus and listen. When we hear what he
is saying by taking time for individual prayer, we understand the reason for
our constant activities – to center our lives on the person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is
not telling us that monks and hermits have chosen a better way of being
disciples. Instead, he is speaking to us
active disciples and urging us to provide a better balance in the way we live
our lives. Grounded in prayer and
reflection, our active service becomes more intense and better focused. Grounded in prayer and reflection, the action
of our foot washing becomes more Christ-centered. Our action becomes our prayer in serving
others.
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