16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Genesis 18:1-10: Abraham and Sarah unwittingly offer hospitality to God’s Angels and receive a blessing. Lord, do not pass your servant by.

II Reading: Colossians 1:24-28: Paul unites his own sufferings with those of Christ for the Church. A mystery hidden for centuries has now been revealed to God’s saints.

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42: Martha welcomed Jesus into her house. It is Mary who has chosen the better path.

The One Thing Needed: To Sit at Jesus’ Feet, Lk 10:38-42

The readings discover what the presence of Christ in our midst ought to mean in our life. The first and the second readings talk about the hospitality of Abraham, Martha and Mary. Jesus visits us time and again to carry on his work of salvation. How?

a) Jesus multiplies his visits to the Christian community:

i. when we gather to pray

ii. when the Word of God is read or explained to us

iii. when we celebrate the Holy Eucharist

b) Jesus longs to be the guest of our families

i. Jesus wants to be invited: the best invitation is family prayer

ii. we must make Jesus feel at home as a result Jesus gives the three gifts: unity, peace and joy.  If the presence of Jesus is not there these gifts disappear from the family or a person.

c. Christ ought to be the permanent guest of each Christian. The indwelling of God in each Christian is at the centre of our Christian life. Paul wrote to his Christians of Corinth, “Don’t you realize that you are God’s temples, and that the Spirit of God is in you?” (1Cor 3:16).

Christ visits us with particular love in times of suffering. He continues to suffer in each Christian that suffers for the church or faith. Now we can better understand the words of Paul at the beginning of today’s first reading: “It makes me happy to suffer for you as I am suffering now, to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.” (1Cor 1:24) 

In the Gospel, Mary and Martha’s experience teaches that waiting and sitting at Jesus’ feet is much more important than running to and fro trying to work one’s way into God’s favour. There is one basic essential in life, and that is sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word.

1. Jesus entered a village (v.38)

2. Two strong characters (v.38-39)

a. Martha’s character

  1) giving

  2) courageous

  3) caring and loving

b. Mary’s character

  1) loving and humble

  2) gripped with a spiritual hunger

3. Martha’s problem: She was distracted (v.40)

a. distracted by serving

b. distracted by material things: food and necessities and the cares of the world

4. Martha’s one need: to sit quietly and listen to Jesus’ words (v.41-42)

Thought: Our devotion and loyalty to Jesus Christ is a daily affair (Lk 9:23). Seeking to hear the Word of God and learning at the feet of Christ is very important as the believers or followers of Christ.

Listening to God’s voice, words and obeying His commands is very important; the Shema (Deut 6:4-9) “Listen O Israel, the Lord your God is the only God…love Him…and love your neighbours as yourself.” Even Jesus emphasized on the word “to listen” to him while preaching, teaching and healing the people. Jesus listened to his Father, Mary listened to the Word of God; so let us listen to Jesus always who is the Eternal Word and Life for us.

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