Choose the Better Part: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sermon by Emmanuel Suntheni OSB – Sixteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time – Year C
Sermon And Christian Act In The Word
Theme: True Hospitality! What are you concerned with here on Earth? Choose the Better part! What are you busy with?-Jesus Christ or?
Point of Reflection: What am I concerned with here on earth? The choice of one’s central concern gives shape to one’s entire life. Today’s Scriptural readings give us biblical examples which teach us that the greatest life concern for a believer must reflect his or her faith commitment. The Psalmist referred to such persons, stating, “those who do these things shall never be moved”.
First Reading: Genesis 18:1–10
Psalm: Psalm 15:2–5
Second Reading: Colossians 1:24–28
Gospel: Luke 10:38–42
Sermon (Reflection): A car, no matter how fast it runs, will grind to a halt if it runs out of fuel. If one is not fortunate and the vehicle stops in the middle of nowhere, with no fuel station nearby, one would go through a series of unpleasant ordeals. It is dangerous to go through this world without enough ‘spiritual energy’. There are some whose “spiritual fuel tanks” have dried up because they had many concerns but not that one concern to keep them truly alive. In the face of challenges, such persons realise that they have no inner strength and they run into crisis. As someone rightly put it, “A life without Christ is full of crisis”. This is exactly what we encounter in the Gospel of today.
When Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus, she chose not to listen to one more of the many rabbis who frequented their towns, to the Word of God himself. In sum, Mary chose to be a disciple and an ardent listener to the Word that gives life. For this reason, Jesus described her as having “chosen the better part”. What have we chosen in our life? Being a Benedictine, I often read the Rule of St Benedict and what always sparks my heart is what Benedict says in chapter 72 of his rule: Prefer nothing to the Love of Christ and may he bring us all together to everlasting life (RB 72.3-12). Furthermore, St Benedict writes, “Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else.” RB 4.20-21.
In the gospel of today, we further encounter one of the most important Benedictine values, thus, hospitality. St Benedict in his rule says: Every guest must be received as Christ. “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35) (Cf.RB 53; 1). The gospel reading of today presents yet another story of hospitality. On his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus was invited to the house of two sisters, Martha and Mary, who represent two different types of hospitality.
Martha is a householder who, like Abraham, invites Jesus to her house and caters to his needs. Her sister Mary acts as a disciple. She sits herself at Jesus’s feet and listens attentively to his words. This was a typical posture for a student or a disciple at that time in history.
Martha is utterly preoccupied with her domestic duties, acting as a good host. However, this makes her “distracted” and not really concerned with Jesus himself. While serving Jesus, she is also at the same time ignoring him. Mary, on the other hand, ignores her social and domestic duties as a co-host and sister to Martha, concentrating on Jesus alone.
Finally, Martha is angry with Jesus and speaks to him respectfully but forcefully, accusing him of indifference to herself and to her work. Moreover, she attempts to subject Jesus to her authority by telling him what he should command her sister to do. Meanwhile, Mary is silent, listening and absorbing Jesus’ words. Martha is a good host but a bad disciple; Mary is a bad host but a good disciple.
Luke uses this contrasting portrayal of the two sisters for instruction. When he reports that Jesus praised Mary for choosing “the better part”, he affirms that true hospitality extended to Jesus consists in listening and absorbing his words. Receiving Jesus and his teaching takes precedence over all other concerns in the disciple’s life; it is the disciple’s central and greatest concern. As Christians, let us choose the better part, thus, living with Jesus Christ at all times! Let us be preoccupied with Jesus, not these earthly paradoxes.
Hospitality is a choice. It entails making time and space to accommodate someone whose presence is meaningful. In the process, it impacts not just the guest but, more importantly, the host. Every guest leaves something behind. Similarly, the Word of God affects those who choose to stay with it. Spending quality time with the Word of God rejuvenates and revitalises a person. It is the secret of sanctity. This keeps one going amidst the challenges of life and enables one to arrive at one’s destination in life. Indeed, Christ among us is the hope of glory (Cf. Colossians 1:27).
Christian Act in Word of God: “What am I concerned with?”
Today’s readings narrate stories of four biblical characters which reveal the central concerns that governed each one’s life and mission.
The first reading tells about the encounter between Abraham and three visitors who represent God appearing as angels in human form. This meeting follows the account of the covenant God made with Abraham and the promise that he would become the father of a great nation (Cf. Genesis 17:19), a promise which will subsequently be fulfilled (Cf. Genesis 21:2). Thus, the story of this encounter is placed between the account of the promise and its fulfilment.
The main point of the story is revealed in Abraham’s words of invitation, “My Lord if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant”. Abraham knows that welcoming a stranger and showing hospitality bring blessings upon the host and his household. By inviting the visiting angels and caring for them, Abraham actively sought the blessing that hospitality brings. He achieved his goal, the angel who spoke for God declared that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, would soon bear a son, as God had earlier promised. We learn from the first reading that hospitality brings joy and happiness. As Christians, we need to open our hearts to be hospitable.
The second Scriptural reading (Cf. Colossians 1:24–28) contains an autobiographical statement conveying Paul’s understanding of himself and his mission. Quite interesting to note is what Paul said, Paul informed the readers about his situation, describing it as “suffering”. This was fully justified because he was languishing in prison facing potential death (Cf. Colossians 4:3). Yet, in his typical fashion, Paul calls his sufferings a privilege and a reason for rejoicing. Our present sufferings as human beings are temporary, and as Christians, we need to accept suffering as in Christ; such sufferings are blessings to our lives. We learn and live better after suffering. This must be our mission of embracing suffering.
St Paul’s entire life and mission revolved around the proclamation of Christ to the Gentiles. He placed himself, and all his life, entirely in the service of this proclamation, knowing that it leads the formerly ignorant Gentiles to wisdom and full maturity as Christians. To bring the Gentiles to faith and make them wise and fully mature in Christ was clearly Paul’s greatest concern. Today, as Christians, our main concern must be to mature in Christ and live in Christ.
Action: From today, I will be hospitable and choose Christ.
Prayer: Eternal Father, today you have taught us to practise True Hospitality and to treat every human being as Christ. You have given us the will and mind to make choices in life. Please send your Holy Spirit to be with us as we make choices in our daily life, and most importantly, to choose Christ forever in our lives. Grant this through Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever, Amen.
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