Fr. Manuel João, comboni missionary
Sunday Reflection
from the womb of my whale, ALS
Our cross is the pulpit of the Word
“You worry and fret about so many things!”
Year C – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 10:38–42: “A woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.”
Following last Sunday’s parable of the Good Samaritan, today’s liturgy presents the episode of hospitality offered by two sisters, Martha and Mary of Bethany.
The context of the Bethany episode is striking. On the one hand, it is preceded by the parable of the “Good Samaritan”, which ends with the words: “Go, and do the same yourself” (Luke 10:37). On the other, it is immediately followed by Jesus’ teaching on the Our Father and on prayer (Luke 11:1–10). It is clear that Luke seeks to highlight the unity between Doing (“becoming a neighbour” to one’s brother) and Listening to the Word (“being a neighbour” to God).
In the first reading, Abraham welcomes God who appears in the mysterious form of three men: “Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed down to the ground, saying: ‘My lord, if I have found favour in your sight, do not pass your servant by’” (cf. Genesis 18:1–10).
We can affirm that hospitality is the central theme of this Sunday’s Word. Hospitality is one of life’s great metaphors. Welcomed in the mother’s womb, in a family and a society, we are taught to become hospitable ourselves—neighbours to others and to all life.
Scripture is a story of hospitality, from the time we were welcomed into the earthly paradise (Genesis), to the time we shall be welcomed into the heavenly Paradise (Revelation 21–22), into the new Jerusalem, whose gates “will never be closed” (21:25). There perfect and total welcome shall be realised: “See, the tent of God is with mankind! He will dwell with them” (21:3). At the centre of history we encounter the Word made flesh, who “came to dwell among us” (John 1:14). Though rejected, He did not give up, and since then, He continues to knock at the door of every human heart (cf. Revelation 3:20).
But what does hospitality mean in the life of a Christian? This is what St Luke wishes to convey through this episode, found only in his Gospel.
Two women: an icon of hospitality
Who are the two sisters, Martha and Mary? Martha appears to be the elder and the head of the household. She is a dynamic and hardworking woman. Mary, by contrast, seems younger, more gentle and contemplative.
According to Luke 10:38–42, Martha and Mary welcome Jesus into their home. There is no mention of Lazarus, their brother, who is always associated with the sisters in John’s Gospel. Nor is there any mention of the large group that usually accompanied Jesus. The evangelist deliberately focuses attention on the two sisters and their attitudes towards Jesus. While Martha is busy preparing the meal for the guests, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to Him. Irritated, Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus responds in a surprising way: “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about many things, but only one is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.”
This statement of Jesus has been the subject of much interpretation—often understood as suggesting the superiority of the contemplative life over the active life, or of prayer over action. St Basil concluded that “bodily service” is inferior to “spiritual service”. But this is certainly not Jesus’ intention. Prayer and action are inseparable. They are not opposed, nor mutually exclusive, but rather integrated. What we see here is an emphasis on two essential dimensions of discipleship. Martha and Mary are not antagonists, but complementary figures. We are all called to embody both Martha and Mary—to be both servers and listeners of the Word. So, what does Jesus mean?
Hospitality as listening
“Jesus entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His word.”
First, we must realise how radical and provocative this scene is. Jesus breaks with the conventions of His time by accepting the invitation of women—something frowned upon in that society. Furthermore, Mary adopts a revolutionary posture. Sitting at a rabbi’s feet meant being His disciple. Yet in Jesus’ time, the study of the Torah was an activity strictly reserved for men. “Better to burn the Torah than entrust it to a woman,” said the rabbis (as quoted by the biblical scholar F. Armellini). Even St Paul was still influenced by this cultural mentality, as seen in his strong recommendations to the Corinthian community, now considered unacceptable: “Women should be silent in the assemblies, for they are not permitted to speak” (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34–35).
“Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked: ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’”
Both Martha and Mary love Jesus, but they differ in their priorities. Mary focuses entirely on Jesus and delights in His presence. Martha, concerned with practical matters, succumbs to anxiety, impatience, and fatigue. And Jesus’ presence ends up feeling like a burden to her. That’s the problem!
“But the Lord answered her: ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
Martha’s irritation prompts Jesus to address her with tenderness (as signified by the repetition of her name: “Martha, Martha”) and to recall her to what is essential—to conversion to “the one thing necessary”, the pursuit of the Kingdom of God. All the rest will be added unto her (cf. Luke 12:31).
The multitude of tasks is not necessarily the kind of “service” Jesus expects from us. We must therefore establish priorities and determine what is truly urgent. In other words, we must learn discernment. As Paul says: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best” (Philippians 1:9–10).
How often do we too fall into the trap of constant busyness. We fill our diaries with endless commitments. And sometimes, overwhelmed by “urgent” demands, we neglect what is truly important. At the end of the day, we may find satisfaction only if we’ve “done everything”—something that rarely happens—leaving us with a bitter sense of incompleteness or even frustration.
We would do better to adopt the opposite approach: never doing “everything”, but always leaving something for the following day, entrusting it to the Lord who acts while we sleep. In this way, we would come to understand the truth of the psalmist’s words: “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for He grants sleep to those He loves” (Psalm 127:2).
Fr. Manuel João Pereira Correia, mccj
