16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)

1st Reading             Genesis 18: 1-10a

Psalm                        15: 2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5 (R. 1a)

R:// "Lord, who may abide in your tent"

2nd Reading           Colossians 1: 24-28

Gospel                      Luke 10: 38-42

WELCOME CHRIST WITHOUT MISSING HIM

Beloved, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The Word of God today dwells heavily on the theme of hospitality. However, let us focus on a certain close portion of the grand or broad theme of hospitality. The first reading is from Genesis 18: 1-10a, and the Gospel is from Luke 10: 38-42. I suggest we look at the Gospel passage closely. 

The first preliminary observation we should make is that today's Gospel is a continuation from last week's Gospel. This technique is "lectio continua" (continuous reading). The essence of this technique is to explore the grand idea of the author as he builds up ideas. Last Sunday, the author opened up by gradually building the theme of hospitality. The theme is highlighted the more in today's passage. Today's passage has to do with Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. Remember that we are reading from Luke's account, and we should pay particular attention to the details he gives us in the narrative. 

The author does not specify the name of the village where the encounter occurs. Luke only says that Jesus came to a "village" (κώμη — kōmē). The Greek word suggests that this location is a rural settlement with a small population, often centered around agriculture. The Gospel according to John tells us that Martha lived in Bethany with Mary and Lazarus. However, Luke is not interested in the name of the place, the village. Considering the nature of a "kōmē" and its relatively small population, and the fact that the author of Luke kept the name of the particular "kōmē" hidden from us, it should be well considered that the house of Mary and Martha could be situated anywhere. The unnamed "kōmē" could be any town, any home, your home. Luke wants us to see the omission of the name not as a remote historical event, but as a universal possibility. 

Jesus is welcomed into the home of Martha. The setting is a house. What then is the nature of a typical Jewish house? Jewish houses or Ancient Near Eastern houses are usually partitioned into two. There are the men spaces (usually public) and the women spaces (usually hidden in the interior of the house). Mary and Martha should be found at the women space. Jesus, a male and a visitor, should be sitted at the men space. However, there is a cultural concern, and it is that Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet at the men space. This will be a scandal because Mary had crossed an invisible and important boundary in the house. People sit at the feet of teachers (Rabbis) to learn so that they can become teachers themselves. Her action of SITTING AT JESUS' FEET should strike. That is the posture of a DISCIPLE. Therefore, Mary is expressing her interest or her posture as a DISCIPLE of Jesus. 

The author describes Martha as SERVING. Interestingly, the Greek word used by the author is "Diakonia" (διακονία). From it, we have the English word "Deacon". The Ministry of a Deacon is a ministry of service. Offering DIAKONIA is not wrong because a visitor needs to be catered for. On another level is the expression of a dimension of discipleship. Therefore, Mary and Martha are two expressions of discipleship. The problem is not that the service of Martha is inferior to the sitting posture of Mary. The problem is that while Martha was living out her discipleship, she was worried about the discipleship of Mary, about the fact that Mary was not helping her. 

It is clear that there are various dimensions to discipleship, and each is called to his or her state. We cannot all be Martha and/or Mary. We are at best one of them. In living out our calling in these regards, we do what is right. However, we can do right and good things but still be distracted by the wrong things. The temptation is to focus on the discipleship and the hospitality others offer to the Lord, paying attention to their strengths and/or shortcomings, and forget about the hospitality we should be giving to the Lord. You can be hospitable to the Lord but be taken away by the success or failure of others.

The second thing we should reflect on is Jesus' response to Martha's reaction. Jesus told her, "Martha, Martha, you are ANXIOUS and troubled about many things..." (Lk. 10: 41). Let us explore that word — ANXIOUS. Some translations will have WORRY. Again, the author originally uses the Greek word "Merimnaō" (μεριμνάω). What about this word? The word means to be divided and hence distracted. This is a state in which a person is torn between many actions. He or she is performing an action and focusing on a completely different action. Martha is performing her duty, yet she is focusing on the action of Mary. 

Remember that in Luke 8, Jesus tells the parable of the Sower. The Word of God is likened to seeds being sown. Some seeds fell among thorns. Jesus explains that the seeds that fell among thorns are people who have heard the Word of God, but as they go on their way they are chocked by the WORRIES and riches and pleasures of life and never produce any crops. Interestingly, the Greek word translated as WORRY in this parable is "merimna". Therefore, Martha is acting like seeds that had fallen into thorns. She received Christ well and was hospitable to him, but along the way, she became divided and taken away by what is not within the domain of her hospitality. She is focusing on what is not within her vocation and discipleship. 

Sometimes, certain services we deem to render to the Lord become the distractive path because we are not called to those ways of being disciples and hospitable to the Lord. We simply copied hospitality. A copied hospitality is not a genuine hospitality. An authentic hospitality to the Lord and to one's neighbour is found within the context of a person's vocation. You can serve but serve wrongly because you are divided in your service and vocation.

Finally, know that our service or hospitality to the Lord is differentiated but complementary. There are those who serve the Lord by listening to him. For them, a "diakonia" that bypasses the Word is one that will never have lasting character. Also, never measure your goodness by what you do for the Lord. You cannot listen too much to him like Mary as to do him a favour to make him comfortable, and you cannot also serve him too much like Martha to please him. You can only listen or serve him as far as your strength can take you. Do not overdo, otherwise you become divided and end up not being hospitable at all. Measure your goodness by what the Lord does for you. This is Grace, and it is freely given. Be grateful to have a Christ in your home to be hospitable to. Nothing you do for the Lord can sufficiently measure up the Grace you can receive from him. 

Remember to welcome Christ into your home, but do not miss him. 

Pax et Bonum