Thursday, July 18, 2019

Sunday Gospel Reflection, July 21, 2019: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things...


Are you open to an encounter with the Lord?

  Abraham is a nomad.  In the Book of Genesis, Abraham is bound by the laws of hospitality to be other-centered.  So, when the Lord appears to Abraham in the form of three men, Abraham goes out of his way to serve them.  Offering them first water and a place to rest, then a copious amount of food – curds, milk, rolls and a choice steer! – Abraham’s attention is entirely upon his guests.  He receives the messengers of God, and is open to God and to God’s promise, which will be life-changing for him:  I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.  In the words of Psalm 15, Abraham does justice, leading a life dedicated to other, geared to building up a people, a community.  Free of sin in all its forms – slander, usury, bribes, and so on– men like Abraham have access to the presence of God.  Observant Jews who wanted to enter the temple prayed Psalm 15, asking Lord, who may abide in your tent?  Clearly, Abraham would have passed with flying colors.

  Martha is perhaps not quite there yet.  In Luke’s Gospel, both she and her sister Mary have Jesus in their very home.  Both have the opportunity, each in her own way, to be present to him:  Martha through service, and Mary through her attention to Jesus’ words.  But Martha’s hospitality is marred by her resentment of Mary’s position.  Tell her to help me, she says.  Her resentment prevents Martha from offering service that is entirely pure gift to other.  She is in the presence of the Lord, to be sure, but she has not yet opened herself fully to his promise.

  On the other hand, Paul’s openness to that promise is radical.  In his Letter to the Colossians, Paul says he rejoices in his sufferings for their sake.  Paul has been beaten and persecuted for spreading the Good News, proclaiming Christ, teaching with wisdom, so that all may enter into relationship with God, and be fully present to the Lord, perfect in Christ.  Paul, having encountered the Lord on the way to Damascus, now sees God present in those he meets:   it is Christ in you, he says, the hope for glory.  He is open to an encounter with the Lord at every turn, and is generous in his service of other, to the point of painful suffering on their behalf.

  We never know when we might encounter the Lord – indeed, we encounter him daily, hourly, perhaps even more often than that!  To be open to that encounter, open to seeing Christ in other, open to doing all we can to serve them, is to reveal Christ in us as well.  Indeed, it is only through radical openness and generous service that we, like Mary, can choose the better part.

This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source:  www.wordclouds.com

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