The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the actions we take to respond to nudges toward wholeness that come our way on the journey.
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| Present to guests |
The reading from the Book of Exodus describes the Golden Calf response of the Israelites during Moses absence.
* [32:21–24] Aaron attempts to persuade Moses not to act in anger, just as Moses persuaded the Lord. He also shifts the blame from himself to the people.1
In Psalm 106 Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel as in the golden calf episode (Ps 106:19–23; see Ex 32–34).
* [Psalm 106] Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel (Ps 106:1–3). The speaker, on behalf of all, seeks solidarity with the people, who can always count on God’s fidelity despite their sin (Ps 106:4–5). Confident of God’s mercy, the speaker invites national repentance (Ps 106:6) by reciting from Israel’s history eight instances of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. The sins are the rebellion at the Red Sea (Ps 106:6–12; see Ex 14–15), the craving for meat in the desert (Ps 106:13–15; see Nm 11), the challenge to Moses’ authority (Ps 106:16–18; see Nm 16), the golden calf episode (Ps 106:19–23; see Ex 32–34),2
The Gospel from Luke is Jesus comments to Martha about the decision of her sister Mary to choose being in His presence over anxiety about hospitality.
* [10:38–42] The story of Martha and Mary further illustrates the importance of hearing the words of the teacher and the concern with women in Luke.3
Tamora Whitney shares her story where someone has to offer the refreshing beverages. Someone has to cook and serve the food. It’s not going to serve itself. And here she [Martha] is with an important guest and her sister [Mary] is no help.
And in my story while I was feeling inadequate caring for my dying husband, I also wanted his sister to have quality time with her dying brother. I wanted her to have the time and ability to connect with him while there was still time, and not to waste that time cleaning the kitchen counters. And when Martha tells Jesus to tell Mary to help out, he says that the quality time she is spending with him is more valuable than the serving work in the kitchen. He says, “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” A clean house is a good thing. A host who provides good food for guests is good, but the host who provides sincere attention to guests might be better. Martha is making sure the required preparations are made, but Mary is spending the more quality time with Jesus while there is still time.4
Don Schwager quotes “The voice of life and joy that awakens the dead,” by Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD). This connects more closely with the alternate Gospel for today (John 11. 17-21).
"I am the voice of life that wakens the dead. I am the good odor that takes away the foul odor. I am the voice of joy that takes away sorrow and grief.… I am the comfort of those who are in grief. Those who belong to me are given joy by me. I am the joy of the whole world. I gladden all my friends and rejoice with them. I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). (excerpt from HOMILY ON THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS)5
The Word Among Us Meditation shares about good old Martha! She was never one to hide her feelings. She had no problem saying whatever was on her mind. You might recall that when Jesus came for dinner and her sister, Mary, sat down to listen to him, Martha had no qualms about complaining to Jesus.
You have a friendship with Jesus too. That means you can be as honest with him as Martha was. You can tell him when you’re feeling disappointed in him. You can even tell him when you’re angry with him or when you feel he has let you down. Don’t worry, he won’t condemn you for it. Remember: he is human as well as divine. He knows what you’re feeling because he has felt it too. Rather than hurting your friendship with him, your honesty will strengthen it.6
Friar Jude Winkler describes how Moses operated as an intercessor for his people before God. We are urged to consider doing less and enjoying Presence more. Friar Jude comments on Martha’s great profession of faith in the alternate Gospel reading from John 11. 17-21 today.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that holiness is a concept that makes ordinary people nervous. . . . The holiness that Jesus describes has less to do with pious character traits and more to do with the hosting of God’s abiding presence. It is not effort but invitation that opens the human spirit to the possibility that God may sojourn with us.
The human task is threefold. First, the human spirit must connect to the eternal by turning toward God’s immanence and ineffability with yearning. Second, each person must explore the inner reality of his or her humanity facing unmet potential and catastrophic failure with unmitigated honesty and grace. Finally, each one of us must face the unlovable neighbor, the enemy outside of our embrace, and the shadow skulking in the recesses of our own hearts. Only then can we declare God’s perplexing and unlikely peace on earth.7
The tension between action and being Present continues to be an opportunity for us to pause before picking one in preference to the other.
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