HOSPITALITY CONTEMPLATION AND SUFFERING: PATHWAYS TO COMMUNION WITH GOD (HOMILY FOR 16TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR C

HOSPITALITY, CONTEMPLATION AND SUFFERING: PATHWAYS TO COMMUNION WITH GOD 

16th Sunday in the ordinary time, Year c

Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42

A life without reflection is a life without direction, and a life without direction is a wasted life. Today's liturgy of the word provides us with the tripartite routes/paths we must follow in other to be successful and in communion with God. These paths are not mutually exclusive but complementary.

The first path speaks of Service and hospitality. This was the pathway heeded by Martha in today's Gospel and Abraham in the first reading respectively. We are told that “Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home...now Martha, who was distracted with all the servings, said Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do all the serving all by myself? Please, tell her to help me. Jesus responded, Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her” (Lk 10:38-42). In this path and context, Jesus wasn't scolding Martha but rather enlightening Martha on the need not to worry and fret about material things. There was no need to dedicate her entire self, time and energy completely for material benefits without first considering the spiritual. It was more or less like Martha committed herself so much to work, without the God of work. She lost the 'word of God' which should guide, direct and assist her in the work. 

Beloved in Christ, we are not saying that service is bad. Not at all. Service is indeed good and necessary. However, it becomes ridiculous, if it brings upon us worry, fuss, stress, distraction and distress. If it puts us on the edge of perplexity and unbearable complaints. Then it is unhealthy. This is why Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew recommends, “Do not worry about life, what you will eat or drink, and about the body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and body more than clothing? The birds of the air: neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more value than they are? Can your worry add a single hour to your span of life?” (Mt 6:25-29). Consequently, Jesus says: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). The simple teaching here is that social service or material benefits alone are insufficient and unsatisfactory, for it is possible to lose one's soul even in a highly valuable service.

Progressively, like Martha to some extent, Abraham demonstrated service and hospitality to an unknown God, not realizing that the ones whom he received is God, indeed the triune God. Yet he welcomed him most graciously. But unlike Martha, Abraham did not fret about neither did he worry nor complain about the service, but with Joy and cheerfulness attended to the visitors. We are told that Abraham rather waited on them while they ate. Hence, in Abraham, we can see something of Martha and Mary in action. What a complementarity! The reward for such hospitality is seen in the blessings offered to Sarah, the wife of Abraham. “I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son”. (Gen 18:10). This came to pass, for Sarah bore a son whom Abraham named Isaac. Friends in Christ, I pray that every hospitality of ours may bring us heavenly blessings. Amen

The 2nd path speaks of contemplation. This was the pathway heeded by Mary in today's Gospel. We are told that “Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to what he was saying” (Lk 10:39). She was recommended by Jesus in the narrative as the one who “chose the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42). Mary is portrayed as an epitome of meditation, reflection, introspection, a prayerful soul,  companionship and intimate relationship/communion with God. By sitting at the feet of Jesus,  Mary designated her total commitment to the word of God, God became the centre of her everything, hence, in silence, calmness, and adoration, she listened to all that proceeded from the mouth of Jesus.  

Child of God, the word of God tells us in the book of Revelation, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man, hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him, and him with me” (Rev 3:20). Let's make this exemplary character of Mary ours whenever we celebrate the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, listening to the liturgy of the word, whenever we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Even during our work hours, the beautiful character of contemplation can help us regularly recognize the presence of God around us. So that our services at all times may be ordered and blessed by him.

The 3rd path speaks of suffering. This is the pathway heeded by St. Paul in his emulation of the cross of Jesus. In the 2nd reading, St. Paul attests: “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church” (Col 1:24). Here St. Paul reminds us that suffering has a sanctifying and redemptive value; for just like through the cross of Christ we are sanctified, so also by participation in the cross of Christ, we collaborate the church in the redeeming work of God upon humanity. Through the persecutions, we face for witnessing the Gospel values, the insults, derision, scorn, hate, mockery etc we face for standing up for justice, truth, equity, love, mercy etc. Even the numberless strain we pass through when caring for the sick and the abandoned, the destitute and the less privileged in society, the hungry and the afflicted, the homeless and the forgotten etc. These are moments in which the sanctifying and redemptive grace abounds in us. Beloved in Christ, may we like St. Paul, continue in the Church to remain instruments in the hands of God for the edification of the lives of those who suffer.

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, the tripartite paths above which are not mutually exclusive to one another, are sure complementary pathways that lead us into communion with God. Let us be genuine disciples who are hospitable, prayerful and contemplative, and bear our crosses every day to follow our Master, Jesus. May we find fulfilment and joy through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Fr Remi osj