Sunday, July 17, 2022
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a
Second Reading: Colossians 1:24-28
Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
In the Gospel today Jesus and his disciples are on the way to Jerusalem, a journey that took them through Bethany, to the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, for whom Jesus had a special affection. While Mary sits at the Lord’s feet listening to His teaching, Martha was engaged in serving. Overwhelmed with doing the service alone, she complained to Jesus to ask Mary to join her. Responding, Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful, Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” Throughout centuries ink has flowed on these words and commentators have had their field day. Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of active life and Mary that of the contemplative life. Some tend to interpret it to mean that the contemplative life is superior to the active life. This interpretation is not the whole truth because it misses the whole context of the story. A more balanced understanding of the text has to take into consideration the context, as well as the broader context of Luke’s Gospel including the Acts of the Apostles.
Imagine for a moment that you are present in the home of Martha and Mary or a member of the community to which Luke addressed his Gospel. Our major challenge is hearing those words as Martha heard them. It is much easier to read them as the community Luke wrote to. Like Martha, the disciples were anxious and troubled about many things; controversies surrounding table service and the hostility of the Jews. Keep in mind, that this episode is found only in Luke and follows immediately the parable of the Good Samaritan which is also found only in Luke. A scholar of the law had correctly reduced all we need to do to inherit eternal life, to love of God and neighbor. And to the question who is my neighbor, Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach us that love must be concrete and proactive, and to humanity as a whole. In the end, He asks us to go and imitate the Good Samaritan.
One tendency that can arise is that a disciple can decide to go his way and do what the Samaritan did. He does not even need to be part of the community or pray. All that is necessary is the love of God and neigbor translated to service of the needy. After all, Abraham welcomed three strangers and showed them remarkable hospitality and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Jesus did not condemn the service Martha was doing. What He condemned is the fact that she was anxious and troubled about many things. Luke wants to teach his audience and indeed all of us that discipleship cannot be reduced to the service of the needy or mere activities. A true disciple must first, sit at the feet of Jesus, which symbolizes contemplation, prayer, listening to the word of God and allowing oneself to be transformed. Service of the needy without prayer and contemplation is barren and is at best philanthropy. An apparent life of prayer which shows no concern for apostolate also fails to please God. True discipleship is about listening and doing.
How did the community of Apostles in the Acts of the Apostles read it? During their missions, the Apostles became anxious about many things – how to continue preaching and converting people on the one hand and on the other hand, how to take care of the increasing number of the poor, the sick and the needy in their midst, all in an environment that was increasingly hostile. The response of Jesus to Martha helped them to discern the intention of Jesus. Just as Mary could not abandon her place at the feet of Jesus to serve, the Apostles will continue to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word and appoint deacons to serve at table. This is not because one is superior to the other but that, the service of the word may not be hindered by the demands of the service at the table.
Contemplation and active service cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of practicing the Christian faith: The key lies in being able to combine the two without harming either. A true disciple has to unite contemplation and action in whatever vocation he or she has received.
Happy Sunday
Rev. Fr. Chidi Onwuka MSSCC