XVIth Sunday : GEN. 18: 1-10 : COL. 1: 24-28,: LUKE 10: 38-42
There is an ancient Scottish legend that tells the story of a shepherd boy tending a few straggling sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower -- one that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. He knelt down upon his knees and scooped the flower in his hands and held it close to his eyes, drinking in its beauty. As he held the flower close to his face, suddenly he heard a noise and looked up before him. There he saw a great stone mountain opening up right before his eyes. And as the sun began to shine on the inside of the mountain, he saw the sprinkling of the beautiful gems and precious metals that it contained.
With the flower in his hands, he walked inside. Laying the flower down, he began to gather all the gold and silver and precious gems in his arms. Finally with all that his arms could carry, he turned and began to walk out of that great cavern, and suddenly a voice said to him, "Don't forget the best." Thinking that perhaps he had overlooked some choice piece of treasure, he turned around again and picked up additional pieces of priceless treasure. And with his arms literally overflowing with wealth, he turned to walk back out of the great mountainous vault. And again the voice said, "Don't forget the best."
But by this time his arms were filled and he walked on outside, and all of a sudden, the precious metals and stones turned to dust. And he looked around in time to see the great stone mountain closing its doors again. A third time he heard the voice, and this time the voice said, "You forgot the best. For the beautiful flower is the key to the vault of the mountain."
The key to the Christian life is SETTING PRIORITIES: Jesus Christ first, then everything else. The only way really to learn that lesson is to spend some time every day, "sitting at the feet of Jesus." Today’s first reading describes how Abraham’s and Sarah’s hospitality to strangers was rewarded by God. The gospel passage describes how Martha wanted to extend the traditional generous hospitality to Jesus, by preparing an elaborate meal for him, while her sister Mary spent her time in talking to him and listening to him.
Jesus loved both Martha and Mary. They knew him well enough to invite him to dinner. Martha was so comfortable with him that she didn't think twice about involving him in her family squabble. The atmosphere is casual, friendly - almost like a barbecue. Martha is doing all the work, and Mary is just sitting at Christ's feet listening to him converse with the Apostles. It's understandable that Martha would get perturbed. Feeding 15 people is no small task, and she could have used her sister's help. So she tries to get Jesus to tell Mary to lend a hand. But Jesus doesn't. He actually commends Mary and reproves Martha. Why? Christ was glad to be served, but he was even gladder to be loved. He yearns for our love.
Jesus did not intend to belittle Martha and her activity, but rather to show that hearing the word of God is the foundation of all action, that the word of God must permeate all other concerns. The highest priority must be given to listening to the word. Prayer and actions must be continuous, complementary and mutually dependent. Prayer without action is sterile, and action without prayer is empty. We are expected to be "contemplative in action" because only those who listen carefully to the Word of God know how to behave in the way that God wants. That is why Jesus reminds Martha that proper service for him is attention to his instruction, not an elaborate provision for his physical needs.
The point of the story of Jesus with May and Martha is not to invite us to choose between being a Martha or a Mary. The true disciple needs to be both Martha and Mary. The point of the story is to challenge our priorities so that we come to see that fellowship with the Lord, being with the Lord and hearing his word should always precede the work we do for the Lord. Do we have a program of daily fellowship with the Lord? Many people fulfill this by assisting daily in the Eucharist where they can also hear the word of God. Others schedule a holy hour or quiet time when they can pray and read the word of God. Whatever way we fulfill this need, today’s gospel invites all Christians first to be a Mary who sits with devotion at the Lord’s feet listening his word, and then also to be a Martha who throws herself with energy into the business of serving the Lord.
Some single men in a Bible study group were discussing who would make the better wife--Martha or Mary. One fellow said, "Well, I think Martha would make the better wife. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It sounds like Martha surely knew how to cook. I would love to be married to a woman like that!" Another man said, "I think Mary would make the better wife. She was always so thoughtful, sweet and loving. I could be very happy married to a woman like Mary!" Finally, another fellow settled the argument when he said, "Well, I would like to be married to both of them. I would like Martha before supper and Mary after supper."
We need listening Marthas and serving Marys. Our world needs such men, women, boys and girls who get the job done. This is certainly true in the church. The same is true with the family. We need responsible people to do the work in the house: to cook, to clean, to keep the house operating, to pay the bills, to keep the cars running, not to speak of rearing the children and loving the spouse. But we must find time to listen to God speaking to us through His word and time to talk to God. Jesus clearly said: be hearers and doers of the word. Jesus never reversed that order.
This morning, we have all chosen to come and listen to the Lord. What will we choose tomorrow morning? Tuesday? Jesus is hoping that we will continue to choose this "better part". It isn't hard. It's a matter of spending ten minutes with him before getting distracted with the day's activities. It could be ten minutes of reading and reflecting on a passage from the Bible or a paragraph from a book of Christian meditations. It could be praying a decade or two of the Rosary before we turn on the morning news show.
Jesus wants us to choose the better part, to depend more on him than ourselves, so that he can give us his best. Today, let's promise that we will.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
IVXth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
IVXth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
IS 66:10-14,: GAL. 6:14-18,Gosple: LUKE 10: 1-12, 17-20
The story of St. Philip Neri, who earned the title “Apostle of Rome” in the 16th century, is an example of missionary zeal demanded by today’s gospel. Philip came down to Rome in the early 1500s as an immigrant from Florence and a layman. When he arrived, he was horrified by the physical and moral devastation of the city. Rome had been sacked in 1527 by the Germans who had left much of the city shell-shocked and ruined. The Gospel wasn’t being preached, and many priests and cardinals were living in open defiance of Christ’s moral teachings. Philip prayed to God to learn what he might do. He read the letters that St. Francis Xavier had sent back to Europe from India, where he had been converting tens of thousands, and Philip thought that God was calling him to follow Francis to India, to give his life in proclaiming the Gospel. He went to his spiritual director and told him what he thought God was asking of him. The wise old priest affirmed his desire to serve and bear witness to Christ, but told him to focus his attention on re-evangelizing those around him: “Rome is to be your India!” This was quite a task for one man. But Philip, relying on God’s help, started — first as a layman, then as a priest — to convert Rome, one person at a time. He would cheerfully go to street corners and say, “Friends, when are we going to start to do good?” He developed various entertaining social and religious activities to give the people, especially the youth. His impact was enormous, and when he died in 1595, much of Rome had been reconverted. The same God who spoke to Philip almost five hundred years ago challenges each one of us this morning through this Scriptures.
While all the synoptic Gospels mention a mission of the Twelve, only Luke adds a second mission of the 72. Just as Moses selected the seventy-two elders to guide and govern his people, so Luke presents Jesus as the “new Moses” in today’s gospel. Jesus sends out his seventy-two disciples to towns and villages to announce his visit, thus giving a symbolic meaning to the number seventy-two. The Jews also believed that there were seventy-two nations in the whole world, and they had seventy-two members in the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews. In the Book of Genesis, seventy descendants of Jacob moved with him from Israel to Egypt to begin a new life. In the Book of Exodus, seventy elders go up the Mountain of God along with Moses to learn about the new covenant with YHWH. Who were these seventy-two Jesus sent out ? We don’t know even one of their names. Their names are not mentioned. And there is a reason for that. They are us. We are the seventy-two. Each of us, by the very fact that we have heard the Lord's call, is likewise sent on a mission.
The messengers were to preach that the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God comes into being wherever God reigns, and wherever His will is done. The kingdom of God is present in the people through whom God acts. “Hence the early church equated Christ with the kingdom of God because God reigns in Christ, God’s will is done in Christ and God acts through Christ” (L G, #5). Thus to proclaim the kingdom of God is the same as to proclaim Christ. The kingdom of God has come upon us if God reigns in our hearts, if we do God's will, if God acts through us. When we preach “the kingdom of God is at hand” we are inviting the people to reach out and enter that Kingdom. What do we mean by “at hand” ? If I made a new house and did all the wiring for lighting, air conditioning, heating and stove etc..I won’t be getting the electricity in my house if no electricity is going through the area. But if the electricity is running over head, or in the neighbourhood, I can get the connection with some cable or wire, and get my house lighted and heated…It is something like this when we say the kingdom of God is at hand. The light and life is at hand and available now for you, reach out and grab him and make your life bright, eternal, happy and joyous. And he is at hand now as he was 2000 years ago.
We need to continue the preaching mission: Just as Jesus in today’s gospel gives instructions to the seventy-two missionaries, he also gives each one of us a mission to carry out. And our mission field is our parish and our workplace and neighbourhood. A recent survey asked the question, “Why do adults join the Catholic Church in spite of the scandals publicized in the media?” Seventy-five percent of the new adult converts to the Catholic Church reported that they were attracted by a personal invitation from a Catholic who had a lively relationship with Christ and his Church. As faithful Catholics, we will attract others to the Catholic Church—just as a rose attracts people by its beauty and fragrance. It’s our job. It’s our responsibility. We must not miss the current opportunities to be apostles in everyday life by our words and deeds.
When he tells his listeners to "ask the master of the harvest", he is telling us to pray for vocations. This is something concrete that every Catholic can do to further the Church's mission. In our parish we have the 30 hr adoration starting on every first Friday after the 10.00 am Mass till before Saturday evening Mass. A lot of people find time for that at some time during these hours. If you can’t go to Asia or Africa for mission work, you can do it here, may be praying for vocations at the dead of the night, sacrificing your sleep.
So during this Mass, and throughout this week, let's keep asking God to send more laborers into the harvest. And when we receive him in Holy Communion, let's ask him to show us how to be better followers, let's ask him to send us out this week to bring his Good News to someone who needs to hear it.
Today when we celebrate the blessing of the nation’s independence, we are to consider how much of that freedom we need to share with others. Our allegiance to country never supersedes nor is ever equivalent to our allegiance to God. We sing “God Bless America,” and yet we know that our faith will not allow us to ask God’s favoritism toward us over other nations. We know there are no national boundary lines with God. Our first allegiance is to the God whose truth still marches on. As we celebrate the independence let’s ask God’s grace on the leaders and the people to work for justice and peace, here in this land and all around the world.
IS 66:10-14,: GAL. 6:14-18,Gosple: LUKE 10: 1-12, 17-20
The story of St. Philip Neri, who earned the title “Apostle of Rome” in the 16th century, is an example of missionary zeal demanded by today’s gospel. Philip came down to Rome in the early 1500s as an immigrant from Florence and a layman. When he arrived, he was horrified by the physical and moral devastation of the city. Rome had been sacked in 1527 by the Germans who had left much of the city shell-shocked and ruined. The Gospel wasn’t being preached, and many priests and cardinals were living in open defiance of Christ’s moral teachings. Philip prayed to God to learn what he might do. He read the letters that St. Francis Xavier had sent back to Europe from India, where he had been converting tens of thousands, and Philip thought that God was calling him to follow Francis to India, to give his life in proclaiming the Gospel. He went to his spiritual director and told him what he thought God was asking of him. The wise old priest affirmed his desire to serve and bear witness to Christ, but told him to focus his attention on re-evangelizing those around him: “Rome is to be your India!” This was quite a task for one man. But Philip, relying on God’s help, started — first as a layman, then as a priest — to convert Rome, one person at a time. He would cheerfully go to street corners and say, “Friends, when are we going to start to do good?” He developed various entertaining social and religious activities to give the people, especially the youth. His impact was enormous, and when he died in 1595, much of Rome had been reconverted. The same God who spoke to Philip almost five hundred years ago challenges each one of us this morning through this Scriptures.
While all the synoptic Gospels mention a mission of the Twelve, only Luke adds a second mission of the 72. Just as Moses selected the seventy-two elders to guide and govern his people, so Luke presents Jesus as the “new Moses” in today’s gospel. Jesus sends out his seventy-two disciples to towns and villages to announce his visit, thus giving a symbolic meaning to the number seventy-two. The Jews also believed that there were seventy-two nations in the whole world, and they had seventy-two members in the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews. In the Book of Genesis, seventy descendants of Jacob moved with him from Israel to Egypt to begin a new life. In the Book of Exodus, seventy elders go up the Mountain of God along with Moses to learn about the new covenant with YHWH. Who were these seventy-two Jesus sent out ? We don’t know even one of their names. Their names are not mentioned. And there is a reason for that. They are us. We are the seventy-two. Each of us, by the very fact that we have heard the Lord's call, is likewise sent on a mission.
The messengers were to preach that the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God comes into being wherever God reigns, and wherever His will is done. The kingdom of God is present in the people through whom God acts. “Hence the early church equated Christ with the kingdom of God because God reigns in Christ, God’s will is done in Christ and God acts through Christ” (L G, #5). Thus to proclaim the kingdom of God is the same as to proclaim Christ. The kingdom of God has come upon us if God reigns in our hearts, if we do God's will, if God acts through us. When we preach “the kingdom of God is at hand” we are inviting the people to reach out and enter that Kingdom. What do we mean by “at hand” ? If I made a new house and did all the wiring for lighting, air conditioning, heating and stove etc..I won’t be getting the electricity in my house if no electricity is going through the area. But if the electricity is running over head, or in the neighbourhood, I can get the connection with some cable or wire, and get my house lighted and heated…It is something like this when we say the kingdom of God is at hand. The light and life is at hand and available now for you, reach out and grab him and make your life bright, eternal, happy and joyous. And he is at hand now as he was 2000 years ago.
We need to continue the preaching mission: Just as Jesus in today’s gospel gives instructions to the seventy-two missionaries, he also gives each one of us a mission to carry out. And our mission field is our parish and our workplace and neighbourhood. A recent survey asked the question, “Why do adults join the Catholic Church in spite of the scandals publicized in the media?” Seventy-five percent of the new adult converts to the Catholic Church reported that they were attracted by a personal invitation from a Catholic who had a lively relationship with Christ and his Church. As faithful Catholics, we will attract others to the Catholic Church—just as a rose attracts people by its beauty and fragrance. It’s our job. It’s our responsibility. We must not miss the current opportunities to be apostles in everyday life by our words and deeds.
When he tells his listeners to "ask the master of the harvest", he is telling us to pray for vocations. This is something concrete that every Catholic can do to further the Church's mission. In our parish we have the 30 hr adoration starting on every first Friday after the 10.00 am Mass till before Saturday evening Mass. A lot of people find time for that at some time during these hours. If you can’t go to Asia or Africa for mission work, you can do it here, may be praying for vocations at the dead of the night, sacrificing your sleep.
So during this Mass, and throughout this week, let's keep asking God to send more laborers into the harvest. And when we receive him in Holy Communion, let's ask him to show us how to be better followers, let's ask him to send us out this week to bring his Good News to someone who needs to hear it.
Today when we celebrate the blessing of the nation’s independence, we are to consider how much of that freedom we need to share with others. Our allegiance to country never supersedes nor is ever equivalent to our allegiance to God. We sing “God Bless America,” and yet we know that our faith will not allow us to ask God’s favoritism toward us over other nations. We know there are no national boundary lines with God. Our first allegiance is to the God whose truth still marches on. As we celebrate the independence let’s ask God’s grace on the leaders and the people to work for justice and peace, here in this land and all around the world.
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