July 17, 2016 – Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Lectionary: 108
Reading 1 – Genesis 18: 1-10A
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 – Psalm 15: 2-3, 3-4, 5
- 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. - 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. - 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 – Colossians 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 – 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.”
Listen to the Scriptures: click on the link below:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/16_07_17.mp3
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – C – 17th July 2016
Keeping our relationship with God as the first priority enables us to live supernaturally. It gives God room to do things in our lives that, by our natural powers alone, we could never do. This is the lesson Abraham and Sarah learned in the First Reading. Their mysterious visitors, the three angels, were messengers from God. Some biblical scholars even think it was the Holy Trinity himself appearing to Abraham. In any case, Abraham recognized the extraordinary nature of his visitors, and he adjusted his own plans in order to honor them – just as Mary did in the Gospel passage: she put everything on hold in order to honor Christ. And what is the result? Sarah becomes pregnant, although she and Abraham are well beyond the age in which they can have children. God works a supernatural wonder in their lives. Whenever we keep God first, he always works wonders.
Every priest who gives his life to serve God is proof of this. He does something supernatural at every Mass and in every confession. Through his hands, Christ himself becomes present in the Eucharist, and through him Christ himself forgives sins. By choosing “the better part”, a man who follows his vocation to the priesthood unleashes God’s grace to work through him in miraculous ways.
Every saint is proof of this. Think of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. A little nun from Albania, tending the poor in Calcutta, and on February 3, 1994, she was invited to give the keynote speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, in which she explained the gospel of life to some of the world’s most powerful people, many of whom were pro-abortion.
This is the kind of work God can do in us and through us, supernatural work, if we choose “the better part.”
Let’s try to look at the scene in the Gospel from Christ’s perspective. Obviously, he loved both Martha and Mary. They knew him well enough to invite him to dinner. Martha was so comfortable with him that she didn’t think twice about involving him in her family squabble. The atmosphere is casual and friendly. Martha is doing all the work, and Mary is just sitting at Christ’s feet listening to him converse with the Apostles.
It’s understandable that Martha would get perturbed. Feeding 15 people is no small task, and she could have used her sister’s help. So she tries to get Jesus to tell Mary to lend a hand. But Jesus doesn’t. He actually commends Mary and reproves Martha. Why?
Christ was glad to be served, but he was even gladder to be loved. He yearns for our love. At the last judgment, he will be less interested in our résumé of achievements (Martha probably had a great résumé) than in the love with which we achieved them. He was happy that Mary wanted to listen to him, wanted to sit beside him and spend time with him. Martha, on the other hand, seems to be paying attention to Christ by serving him, but in fact she was thinking more of herself than of him. This is why she was upset. If she had been trying to please Christ, she would have been glad to do the extra work while her sister enjoyed Christ’s conversation. But Martha has become so preoccupied with getting everything done just right that she has forgotten why it’s worth doing in the first place. So when she complains, Jesus seizes the opportunity to remind her that wanting to be in control of everything can sometimes get in the way of what matters most: loving him.
Questions to Help Us Reflect on the Scripture Readings of the day:
- Abraham has just won a significant battle, is a wealthy leader and herdsman. Yet he runs from his tent in the heat of the day, gets the equivalent of 20 pounds of flour, kills a steer, which would be an extraordinary feast for a small village, and then he ʻwaited on themʼ. Abraham shows middle eastern hospitality in providing safe passage for travelers. Strangers become guests. How do you show hospitality in your life, family, friends, work colleagues, strangers…..?
- Sarah and Abraham are surprised in receiving news that they will have a child. What surprises have you enjoyed and received recently in showing hospitality?
- Paul rejoices in sufferings and sees them as part of the work of Christ. Any suffering that is part of growth and extending the work of the Church is Christʼs work continuing and making up or completing what was unfinished in Christ. Enduring difficulties became a privilege and an honor for Paul. What sufferings do you find hard to carry? Can you see a different way of looking at them as gradually transforming the world and the Church starting with your own ʻfleshʼ?
- Paul goes where no-one else would go – to the gentiles – to warn, teach and present them to Christ. Is there someone you know who has drifted away from God and the Church. How might you ʻwarnʼ them, ʻteachʼ them, ʻpresentʼ them to God?
- Martha and Mary have Jesus – and his hungry disciples – arrive at their home. Cultural expectations of women would have weighed heavily on both Martha and Mary to serve and provide hospitality and food. Mary however chose to do what was not socially acceptable, and sit at the masters feet, the traditional expression of being a ‘disciple’ – and one normally reserved for ‘males’. Consider what obstacles Mary has overcome to ‘sit and listen’. What obstacles would you have to overcome to sit and listen to Jesus in prayer?
- Burdened with much serving, Martha tries to pull Mary into her activity to help. Welcome and Serving can sometimes end up with the feeling of being burdened and complaining. Mary courageously resists her sister. What is going on? Is a ʻburdened and complainingʼ spirit present in your life, work, relationships, ministry? Have you taken the time to figure out where the ʻworryʼ is coming from?
- This passage coming straight after the parable of the Good Samaritan provides a christian balance to discipleship. Hearing and Doing are not opposites but inter- twined. What is Jesus saying about the choice that Mary made to sit and listen to him? What do you think needs to come first, listening or doing? Why?
For the Church: that we may offer hospitality and understanding to all who enter into our lives and help them become aware of God’s presence today, let us pray to the Lord.
For each of us: that we may seek the better portion and make room in our hearts to hear God in silence, in praying scripture, and in our daily experiences, let us pray to the Lord.
For all catechumens and candidates: that they may hear God’s Word, take it into their hearts, and respond generously to all that God asks of them, let us pray to the Lord.
For openness to the gift of life: that all parents will joyfully welcome and care for each child who enters their family and see in them God’s promise for tomorrow, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who are busy about work and progress: that they may be free to live the gift of this day, recognize the relationships which bring them life, and be patient with themselves and others, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who live a life of service, particularly those who care for the sick, those who assist travelers, and those who answer customer service lines: that they may offer their service joyfully and be renewed by God’s love, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who are barraged by commercials and reasons to buy: that they may realize that their dignity and meaning is found in being children of God rather than in their possessions, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who are unemployed or underemployed: that God will restore their hope and give them courage to continue to seek new opportunities to use their gifts, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who suffer from the power of nature, from floods, storms, or wildfires: that their pain will be eased, their spirits comforted and their strength renewed by God’s grace, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who are ill: that God’s healing spirit will bring wholeness to them in mind, body, and spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
For government leaders who are making budget decisions: that they may recognize the consequences of their decisions and be guided by concern for the most vulnerable in society, let us pray to the Lord.
For Pope Francis: that God will guide and inspire him as he meets with the youth of the world so that they may be faithful witnesses to the Gospel by their lives, let us pray to the Lord.
For peace throughout the world, for further dialogue in Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan: that God will open new paths to understanding so that all may live in peace and safety, let us pray to the Lord.