Reading 1: Genesis 18:1-10a
Reflection:
God made a covenant with Abraham and promised him as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. There was just one problem with that promise—Abraham had no children because his wife, Sarah, was barren and well-past childbearing years (at the time of this first reading, Abraham was about 100 and Sarah was in her early nineties). Still, one of the visitors in this reading told Sarah that she would have a son within a year. This, in fact, came true and Sarah bore Isaac, the promised son. Who were these mysterious three guests? Within the original context, it seems that God himself was appearing to Abraham, accompanied by two angels. Furthermore, Christian commentators have seen in these three men an image of the three persons of the Trinity. Abraham responded to his divine visitors with the utmost reverence and hospitality. He scurried around having food prepared for them and then listened attentively to what they shared with him. Abraham, therefore, brings together the roles of both Martha and Mary in this Sunday’s gospel. He worked tirelessly to prepare a meal for them but also took the time to sit with them and listen.
Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-20
Reflection:
The Apostle Paul makes a claim here that should strike us as odd when he says, “In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” What could be “lacking” in Christ’s suffering on the cross? Was in some way Jesus’ sacrifice insufficient? St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Doloris (“On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering”), addresses this passage as follows:
The sufferings of Christ created the good of the world’s redemption. This good in itself is inexhaustible and infinite. No man can add anything to it. But at the same time, in the mystery of the Church as his Body, Christ has in a sense opened his own redemptive suffering to all human suffering. In so far as man becomes a sharer in Christ’s sufferings—in any part of the world and at any time in history—to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world.
Does this mean that the Redemption achieved by Christ is not complete? No. It only means that the Redemption, accomplished through satisfactory love, remains always open to all love expressed in human suffering. In this dimension—the dimension of love—the Redemption which has already been completely accomplished is, in a certain sense, constantly being accomplished. Christ achieved the Redemption completely and to the very limits but at the same time he did not bring it to a close. In this redemptive suffering, through which the Redemption of the world was accomplished, Christ opened himself from the beginning to every human suffering and constantly does so. Yes, it seems to be part of the very essence of Christ’s redemptive suffering that this suffering requires to be unceasingly completed. (24)
The mission of the Church is to “present everyone perfect in Christ.” This journey to holiness is going to involve suffering. But the message of the second reading is that we can join our sufferings to the sufferings of Christ and, therefore, participate in the work of redemption for ourselves and others. Jesus opens up his totally sufficient sacrifice on the cross for sins so that we can be a part of his redemptive work by offering our sufferings up to him and, thus, like St. Paul, we can rejoice in them.
Gospel Reading: Luke 10:25-37
Reflection:
We probably all know the story of Mary and Martha. The lesson from these sisters is profound, especially in our culture today. Martha’s actions were not wrong in and of themselves. She was doing a good thing by trying to be hospitable and serve her honored guest, Jesus. But, her heart was in the wrong place. She became irritated that her sister, Mary, was not helping her with the many preparations. In her mind, Mary seemed lazy and selfish for sitting at Jesus’ feet while she was slaving over the housework. In fact, Mary’s actions ran contrary to the culture of their day, which would not have permitted a woman to sit at the feet of a rabbi as his student. Rather, women were expected to do what Martha was doing. So, culturally Martha seems justified in her objection to Mary’s lack of assistance. Still, Martha was “anxious and worried about many things.” Jesus affirmed what Mary was doing, for “there is need of only one thing.” That is, being with Jesus. We, like Martha, can become “anxious and worried about many things.” We live in a culture that promotes busyness. We can even get caught up in doing many good things. But our attitude can be wrong and these good things can distract us from what is most important. It is easy to fall into the trap of doing many things for the Lord but not simply being with the Lord. Often, we can become too busy to simply spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him. Yet, that is the most important thing we can do.
Application:
- What suffering are you currently experiencing in your life? Have you offered it to the Lord and joined your sufferings with the sufferings of Christ? Allow God to use your sufferings for good, redemptive purposes in your life and the lives of others.
- Will you commit to spending time with the Lord? When? Where? Be specific about making a commitment to regularly sit at the Lord’s feet.
