CCC 2571: Abraham’s hospitality
CCC 2241: Welcome the stranger
CCC 2709-2719: Contemplation
CCC 618,
1508: Sharing
in Christ’s sufferings for his Body
CCC 568,
772: “The
hope of glory” in the Church and in her sacraments
 |
| “Christ in the House of Martha and Mary” by Tintoretto 1570-75 |
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."
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Commentary on Gn
18:1-10a
Abraham has already begotten
Ishmael through Hagar, Sarah’s slave. We see him now encounter God (“The
Lord appeared to Abraham”) in the form of a traveler with two messengers
(this is revealed later). After extending them the hospitality required by
custom, God tells Abraham that Sarah, his wife, will bear him a son within a
year. Because Sarah has been barren and is now past child-bearing years, this
prediction, ultimately fulfilled in the birth of Isaac, is miraculous.
CCC: Gn 18:1-15 706,
2571
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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.
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Commentary on Ps
15:2-3, 3-4, 5
This selection records the response of
the temple representative when asked what virtues are appropriate in the eyes
of God. The response lauds the person who follows the “Law,” specifically the
Hebrew laws that warn against slander or false accusations. In the second
strophe, it honors the person who does no violence against another. And
finally, in the last strophe, we are told that the person who does not charge
interest on a loan (usury) is also uplifted.
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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.
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Commentary on Col
1:24-28
“As the community at Colossae
CCC: Col
1:24 307, 618, 1508; Col 1:27 568, 772
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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."
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Commentary on
Lk
10:38-42
In this encounter with Martha and
Mary in St. Luke’s Gospel, we see two distinct messages. First, we see the
importance of the role of women and Jesus’ attitude toward them. Second we see
the importance of listening to the word of God: "Mary has chosen the
better part."
The selection emphasizes the
importance of listening to the teachings of the Lord. While in some early texts
the Lord tells Martha there is “need for only a few things,” or of one, the
message is clear: Mary, in assuming the role of disciple (listening at the
master’s feet) has chosen the correct or better role. Martha, concerning
herself with the requirements of hospitality (old law) has chosen the lesser.
“Mystically (St. Gregory the Great,
Moralia 2, 6): the two women signify two dimensions of the spiritual life.
Martha signifies the active life as she busily labors to honor Christ through
her work. Mary exemplifies the contemplative life as she sits attentively to
listen and learn from Christ. While both activities are essential to Christian
living, the latter is greater than the former. For in heaven the active life
terminates, while the contemplative life reaches its perfection.”[6]
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Reflection:
As
many fathers of the Church have noted, the roles of Martha and Mary, in the
story of Jesus’ visit to their home, represent two aspects of Christian life
that frequently war with one another. In
the story, Martha represents the busy physical dimension of our lives. She scurries about doing what is required of
her to fulfill her duty to the Lord and his guests. Her mindset can be likened to St. James who
tells us:
What good is it, my
brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith
save him? If a brother or sister has
nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go
in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the
necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does
not have works, is dead. (James
2:13-17)
Here
was Mary at the feet of Jesus. As St. Augustine says: “Martha was getting
annoyed, Mary was feasting; the former coping with many things, the latter
concentrating on one.” (Sermon 103) And Mary, for her part, has demonstrated
St. Paul’s attitude as he addressed the Galatians:
“[A]
person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in
Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be
justified.” (Galatians
2:16)
As
we have been taught, neither faith nor works can stand on their own without the
other. Each is necessary as the story of Martha and Mary attests. If Martha had been alone, who would have sat
at the Lord’s feet to hear the word of God poured out? And if Mary had been alone, who would have
given gifts of hospitality to the Son of God?
For
us, acts and faith must go hand in glove.
As in many things, balance is the key.
Finding time to sit at the Lord’s feet for many of us is difficult. In an age where everything is mobile, and the
pace of life is break-neck, we find it difficult to sit and contemplate the incredible
love God shows us in his Son. We must
also act upon the impulses of our faith, so that others will see what we do and
give glory to God, without whose help we are powerless.
Today
we envision ourselves in the place of these two sisters, and ask the Lord to
allow us the grace to fill each of their roles in the right proportions,
balancing our desire to recline with Christ and our need to walk with him.
Pax
In
other years on this date: Optional
Memorial for Saint Lawrence Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church.
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic
Directory, published by
the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29
June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “Christ in
the House of Martha and Mary” by Tintoretto 1570-75.
[4] The readings are taken from the New
American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] See NAB footnote on Colossians 1:24-28.
[6] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010,
Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 129.
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