What would you do if you met the Lord today?
When, in the Book of Genesis, Abraham, sitting in the entrance of his tent, looks up and sees three men standing nearby, he immediately springs into action, offering them hospitality in great abundance: a tender, choice steer, curds and milk, and rolls made of three measures of fine flour. It’s a feast! Not only that, Abraham waits on them under the tree while they eat. Abraham offers all of this as pure gift to other, giving them his complete attention. He does not know that he is in the presence of the Lord who appears to Abraham under the guise of these men; that fact will become clear to him once his aging wife Sarah is with child. But Abraham embodies the teaching of Psalm 15 – He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord – in his openness to God and to God’s promise. His life is dedicated to other; to do justice is to serve other, building up the community God has created.
Martha and Mary have a similar opportunity to offer the Lord hospitality in Luke’s Gospel: Jesus enters a village where a woman whose name is Martha welcomes him. And Martha busies herself with the efforts of hospitality to the point of criticizing her sister Mary’s inaction in this regard: my sister has left me by myself to do the serving, Martha tells Jesus. Martha’s hospitality is gift, to be sure, but it cannot be total gift to Jesus because it is diminished by her resentment. Mary’s gift to Jesus, on the other hand, is one of undivided attention; she is present to him, sitting beside him at his feet. The Word of God, which Mary receives from the source, is what Paul strives to offer the Colossians, in order to make known the riches of the glory of God and teaching everyone with all wisdom. Paul has never known the hospitality of the Colossians, yet he is present to them as he sends them the wisdom of Christ, that they might participate in the mystery that is a life dedicated to other, a life in which they too may rejoice in their suffering for the sake of all. The Colossians will meet the Lord and have the opportunity to offer him their hospitality as well. Christ is present to them in the Word and in each other; they are to proclaim him, ministering to all, building up their community. We are called to no less.
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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