Serving and Attending

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to assess our role in hospitality and care by attending to the “better part” as revealed by the Spirit.

Seek the "better part"

The Reading from Genesis describes the hospitality shown to Abraham’s Visitors.

* [18:1] Chapters 18 and 19 combined form a continuous narrative, concluding the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot that began in 13:2–18. The mysterious men visit Abraham in Mamre to promise him and Sarah a child the following year (18:1–15) and then visit Lot in Sodom to investigate and then to punish the corrupt city (19:1–29). Between the two visits, Abraham questions God about the justice of punishing Sodom (18:16–33). At the end of the destruction of Sodom, there is a short narrative about Lot as the ancestor of Moab and the Ammonites (19:30–38).

* [18:3] Abraham addresses the leader of the group, whom he does not yet recognize as the Lord; in the next two verses he speaks to all three men. The other two are later (Gn 19:1) identified as angels. The shifting numbers and identification of the visitors are a narrative way of expressing the mysterious presence of God.

* [18:6] Three measures: Hebrew seah; three seahs equal one ephah, about half a bushel.

* [18:8] Curds: a type of soft cheese or yogurt. (Genesis, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 15 presents a liturgical scrutiny.

* [Psalm 15] The Psalm records a liturgical scrutiny at the entrance to the Temple court (cf. Ps 24:3–6; Is 33:14b–16). The Israelite wishing to be admitted had to ask the Temple official what conduct was appropriate to God’s precincts. Note the emphasis on virtues relating to one’s neighbor.

* [15:1] Your tent: the Temple could be referred to as “tent” (Ps 61:5; Is 33:20), a reference to the tent of the wilderness period and the tent of David (2 Sm 6:17; 7:2), predecessors of the Temple. Holy mountain: a venerable designation of the divine abode (Ps 2:6; 3:5; 43:3; 48:2, etc.).

* [15:5] Lends no money at interest: lending money in the Old Testament was often seen as assistance to the poor in their distress, not as an investment; making money off the poor by charging interest was thus forbidden (Ex 22:24; Lv 25:36–37; Dt 23:20). (Psalms, PSALM 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter to the Colossians proclaims Christ in Us.

* [1:24] What is lacking: although variously interpreted, this phrase does not imply that Christ’s atoning death on the cross was defective. It may refer to the apocalyptic concept of a quota of “messianic woes” to be endured before the end comes; cf. Mk 13:8, 19–20, 24 and the note on Mt 23:29–32. Others suggest that Paul’s mystical unity with Christ allowed him to call his own sufferings the afflictions of Christ. (Colossians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke describes the “better part” of the hospitality of Martha and Mary.

* [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.

* [10:39] Sat beside the Lord at his feet: it is remarkable for first-century Palestinian Judaism that a woman would assume the posture of a disciple at the master’s feet (see also Lk 8:35; Acts 22:3), and it reveals a characteristic attitude of Jesus toward women in this gospel (see Lk 8:2–3).

* [10:42] There is need of only one thing: some ancient versions read, “there is need of few things”; another important, although probably inferior, reading found in some manuscripts is, “there is need of few things, or of one.” (Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Andy Alexander, SJ, finds himself hearing the Word differently. He is retired from an active ministry, now living in a Jesuit health care community, and going to dialysis three days a week.

I hear Jesus say to me more directly, “Andy, only one thing is necessary now.  Let go of a pile of worries and anxieties.  Listen to me. Listen to me tell you I love you. Listen to me forgive you with tender mercy.  Let yourself enjoy my affection for you. Feel comforted and enjoy just being with me. Me in you; you in me. “ 

Dear Lord of my life, thank you for this deep gift today, inviting me to receive your love and your grace, being rich enough and asking for nothing more. Please bless your people with these gifts of your love.  Let us be a welcoming, merciful church, missionary to the core, announcing the Good News of your love, offering us a vision of a church of Justice for all.  Amen. (Alexander, n.d.)  

 

Don Schwager quotes “The Body of Christ needs hearers and doers of the Word”, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"'Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God, which, if it agrees with faith, is preferred even to the very works, as it is written: 'Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.' So let us also strive to have what no one can take away from us, so that not careless but diligent hearing may be granted to us. For even the seeds of the heavenly Word itself are likely to be taken away if they are sowed by the wayside (Luke 8:5,12). Let the desire for wisdom lead you as it did Mary. It is a greater and more perfect work. Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word... Nor is Martha rebuked in her good serving, but Mary is preferred because she has chosen the better part for herself, for Jesus abounds with many blessings and bestows many gifts. And therefore the wiser chooses what she perceives as foremost."(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 7.83-86) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 18:1-10 takes a look at how Abraham responded to God’s presence to see how we can respond to him today.

So remember Abraham when you come into God’s mysterious, surprising presence today. Let the promise of his love fill your heart with reverence. Generously offer him your attention, your worship, the best of who you are. As you do, you’ll come to see him more and more clearly. Just like Abraham.

“Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me in mystery. Help me to respond to you wholeheartedly!” (Meditation on Genesis 18:1-10, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that in Genesis the three visitors to Abraham are shown enormous hospitality as an important act for desert people. Are they the Trinity of New Testament times? An enormous amount of food shows Abraham’s generosity. The Letter to the Colossians is attributed to Paul even with theology and vocabulary that are different. What is lacking in the suffering of Christ may be to make it present again and give witness as a visible sign of invisible grace. When we suffer we can show our belief. Martha and Mary and the hospitality is compared to choosing the better portion. Is contemplative better than active? Mary is spending time with her guest. We are nudged to think about the people already in front of us. Friar Jude suggests we might do a little less and spend more time with family and neighbours in listening and dialogue at a holiday meal like Mary.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explores how getting in touch with our grief allows us to transform our anger. Collective greed is killing America today. We make everything about money—everything—and injustices like these will naturally leave us exasperated and ultimately sad. How can we look at the suffering taking place in Gaza, Ukraine, or Sudan and be anything but sad? It’s sad beyond words or concepts. Spiritual teacher Mirabai Starr describes the compassion that can arise as we experience both our anger and our grief.

Anger is a natural response when we let the pain of the world into our hearts. It is not the only appropriate response, of course. However, when we can welcome the fire of the Prophets into our own lives, we tap into the true nature of righteousness and draw the vigor necessary to step up in service to that which is greater than ourselves. We remember our essential interconnectedness with all that is and we are motivated to act on the impulse to protect the web of inter-being with all our might.  

Personal and planetary grief are inextricable. Our encounter with the manifold losses that characterize the human experience can till the soil of our hearts so that we are more available to the suffering of other beings and the earth we share. When we have been broken, we recognize the brokenness around us and compassion naturally grows. Sorrow can be paralyzing at first, but compassion, which can sometimes take the form of anger, is a wellspring that offers infinite sustenance. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We stop to allow the Spirit to guide our response to the need for hospitality in serving the people we encounter in the mysterious union of what they need and what heals our souls.

References

Alexander, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-20-2025 

Colossians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1? 

Genesis, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/18?1 

Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?38 

Meditation on Genesis 18:1-10. (n.d.). The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/07/20/1336075/ 

Psalms, PSALM 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/15?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Grief, Anger, and Compassion. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/grief-anger-and-compassion/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Are Anxious - One Thing Is Needful. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jul20 

Laughter and Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to reassess the circumstances where we have limited our experience of love and full life by restricting our faith to human experience.

Laughter in the Message

The Book of Genesis proclaims Abraham’s Visitors.

* [18:1] Chapters 18 and 19 combined form a continuous narrative, concluding the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot that began in 13:2–18. The mysterious men visit Abraham in Mamre to promise him and Sarah a child the following year (18:1–15) and then visit Lot in Sodom to investigate and then to punish the corrupt city (19:1–29). Between the two visits, Abraham questions God about the justice of punishing Sodom (18:16–33). At the end of the destruction of Sodom, there is a short narrative about Lot as the ancestor of Moab and the Ammonites (19:30–38).

* [18:3] Abraham addresses the leader of the group, whom he does not yet recognize as the Lord; in the next two verses he speaks to all three men. The other two are later (Gn 19:1) identified as angels. The shifting numbers and identification of the visitors are a narrative way of expressing the mysterious presence of God.

* [18:6] Three measures: Hebrew seah; three seahs equal one ephah, about half a bushel.

* [18:8] Curds: a type of soft cheese or yogurt.

* [18:10] One of them: i.e., the Lord.

* [18:12] Sarah laughed: a play on the verb “laugh,” which prefigures the name of Isaac; see note on 17:17. (Genesis, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Response in Luke presents The Canticle of Mary.

* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Healing of a Centurion’s Servant.

* [8:5–13] This story comes from Q (see Lk 7:1–10) and is also reflected in Jn 4:46–54. The similarity between the Q story and the Johannine is due to a common oral tradition, not to a common literary source. As in the later story of the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21–28) Jesus here breaks with his usual procedure of ministering only to Israelites and anticipates the mission to the Gentiles. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Martha Slocombe comments that Sarah’s laugh­ing was like­ly an invol­un­tary scoff­ing, but the denial of her laugh­ter was a con­scious choice. She want­ed to cov­er up her embar­rass­ment. So why include Sarah’s denial in scrip­ture? Why is it impor­tant? 

Because this did­n’t hold Sarah back from play­ing a great role in God’s plan. Because Sarah was not defined by the laugh­ter nor the denial of it: being a per­son of faith means reck­on­ing with our cringey and unsa­vory moments and not let­ting them define us. It’s an invi­ta­tion to be hon­est with our­selves because the Lord already knows the truth. It’s scary to hold up our cringi­est moments to God, to oth­ers, and maybe even most­ly to our­selves; and it’s also free­ing because it opens us up to the real and great pos­si­bil­i­ty God has in store for us. Some­thing beyond our wildest imag­i­na­tion. So don’t pray for God to take those moments away, pray that you will not let them define you and that you will be open to the plans that God has in store for you. (Slocombe, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant faith and humility,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When the Lord promised to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, the centurion answered, 'Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.' By viewing himself as unworthy, he showed himself worthy for Christ to come not merely into his house but also into his heart. He would not have said this with such great faith and humility if he had not already welcomed in his heart the One who came into his house. It would have been no great joy for the Lord Jesus to enter into his house and not to enter his heart. For the Master of humility both by word and example sat down also in the house of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon, and though he sat down in his house, there was no place in his heart. For in his heart the Son of Man could not lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). (excerpt from SERMON 62.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 18:1-15 comments that Sarah’s visitors don’t condemn or reproach her for her outburst. They simply ask why she was laughing and then reassure her of God’s promise (Genesis 18:13-14). In fact, they might have been laughing along with her and thinking, “Just you wait; God isn’t done with you yet!”

God isn’t done with any of us yet. He is fully committed to his promises to us: promises to bless us, to forgive us, to fill us with his Spirit, and to bring healing to the hurts in our lives. He is also steadfast in his promise to mold us into disciples eager to witness to his love and redemption. So trust in his promises, even when they come to you in the form of an unexpected visitor with a preposterous message.

“Lord, let your faithfulness to me fill my heart with joy and laughter!” (Meditation on Genesis 18:1-15, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in the Genesis passage how Abraham shows three visitors enormous hospitality that was expected in a desert country so as not to condemn them to death. God and angels receive from Abraham and promise a child to Sarah, who laughed about bearing a child, Isaac brings joy to the parents. In the Gospel of Matthew a Samaritan who calls for healing for the servant expresses an act of courtesy to acknowledge being considered unclean and trusting Jesus to just give the order. The people of Israel are slower to believe than the outsider. The healing of Peter’s mother in Law shows us to use the favour to serve others. Friar Jude notes that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah and took away our infirmities, the role of the Messiah in the Scripture and also including the Gentiles.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, a gang-rehabilitation organization that operates on the principle that in the kinship of God, we all belong. Fr Greg asks  “How do we arrive at a place and tenor of community that asserts: Nobody VS. Anybody?” This is, in fact, a good definition of the kinship of God…. No Us and Them, just Us. This is, indeed, God’s dream come true….”  

I recently spoke on a panel … [and] I told the crowd that two unwavering principles held at Homeboy Industries were the following: 1) Everyone is unshakably good (no exceptions) and 2) We belong to each other (no exceptions). Then I posited: “Now, do I think all our vexing and complex social dilemmas would disappear if we embraced those two notions?” I paused, then continued, “Yes, I do.” And the entire audience exploded in laughter. I was startled. When the laughter subsided, I repeated quietly: “Yes, I do.”  

These two ideas allow us to roll up our sleeves so that we can actually make progress. So that we can love without measure and without regret. So that we can cultivate a new way of seeing. We finally understand that the answer to every question is, indeed, compassion. How else do we bridge the great polarizing divide that presents itself now, as a clear and present danger in our country? … (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the “What” and the “Why” around the limits we put on the extent of love, mercy and compassion, especially in our experience of Divine love, that limit our openness to fullness of life.

References

Genesis, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/18?1 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?46 

Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8?5 

Meditation on Genesis 18:1-15. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/28/1318550/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Creating Communities of Change: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/creating-communities-of-change-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Say the Word and My Servant Will Be Healed. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun28 

Slocombe, M. (2025, June 28). Daily Reflection June 28, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 28, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-28-2025