16th Sunday Ordinary Time
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Cycle C
- Q276: How can anything be “lacking” in the sufferings of Christ? St. Paul teaches that he suffers in his own body to make up for this lack (Col 1:24-28).
- One thing only is required.
- Q433: Why don’t Mary or Lazarus receive a special world-wide “feast day,” rather than just Martha? Wasn’t it Mary who “chose the better part”?
- Q589: How can we become more like Martha’s sister Mary?
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Q276: How can anything be “lacking” in the sufferings of Christ? St. Paul teaches that he suffers in his own body to make up for this lack (Col 1:24-28).
We are in the area of a Great Mystery here! That means that we will only be able to perceive “part” of the picture about “redemptive suffering,” not the entire core truth.
Consider for a moment how we “grow” in our understanding of Scripture's deeper meaning. In the era when the Law and Early Prophets had reached their final edited form, “suffering” was always considered to be caused by man's sinfulness. The “second creation story” in Genesis was intended in part to reflect that understanding, at that stage of their development. Then later on the author of Job was baffled when confronted with the fact that “innocent” people also suffer; and yet no sin can be traced to them. Jesus carried us deeper into this mystery, when he “suffered and died for our sins” - indicating a redemptive value for suffering. Finally, St. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, took us to another, deeper level: somehow, we in our own suffering, if we offer it to God, are participating in the redemptive value that flows from such a self-sacrificing offer to God.
St. Paul tells us that he “rejoices” in those sufferings which he endures, because he knows and believes in the redemptive values available to others through his offering. This is the Christian paradox — to suffer, but to do it joyfully -- the Christian attitude par excellence! This is the Christian “mystery” — not to know “why” Jesus permits us to share in his suffering, but simply to accept the mystery and live within it.
Know Your Catechism! God permits us to share in his plan of salvation, which includes prayers and sufferings (CCC #307). Jesus offers us a “partnership” in his paschal mystery, asking us to take up our own crosses as a sacrificial offering having redemptive value (CCC #618). In some way known only to God, the offering of our suffering is a sharing in the healing ministry of Jesus (CCC #1508). Don't “waste” your suffering! Join it to Jesus Christ!
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We in America are so much the victims of "consumerism" that we are often unaware of being victimized.
"Consumerism" is the habit of buying whatever catches our fancy. The manufacturers of products - any sort of products - exploit this human weakness by trying to persuade us that we just can't be happy without one of their gadgets. How much have we been victimized by this sort of advertising pressure? Well, for starts, how many things have we bought that frankly we don't need?
Martha, in today's gospel, was not exactly a consumerist, but she shared in the mood by getting uptight about non-essentials. When she even scolded Jesus for letting her sister, Mary, sit and listen to Him, rather than help her peel the potatoes and set the table, our Lord told her off gently but firmly. Among all our human obligations He said, there is only one thing that really counts - preparation for heaven. All else is subordinate. "Mary", He concluded, "has chosen the better portion, and she shall not be deprived of it."
Not long ago a reporter from the Los Angeles Herald Examiner interviewed the veteran character actor, Anthony Quinn. In the 1960's Quinn played the title role in the movie "Zorba the Greek". Zorba was a poor man, but a strong, independent soul. He knew that happiness does not depend on how many gadgets we have, but how well-rounded we are as persons. As the actor became absorbed in this role, he came to admire Zorba for really knowing how to live, and he took his lessons to heart. "I've learned," said Quinn, "that cars do not satisfy me ... swimming pools I can live without. Zorba tells us to get back to essentials. He doesn't want anything. He doesn't need anything. We have the wrong goals. We are teaching our kids to live the wrong way."
Zorba is not, of course, the only man to have achieved this sort of wisdom. The pagan Chinese philosopher, LaoTzu, expressed much the same idea: "To have little is to possess. To have plenty is to be perplexed." And St. Paul said: "We seem to have nothing, yet everything is ours."
-Father Robert F. McNamara
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Q433: Why don’t Mary or Lazarus receive a special world-wide “feast day,” rather than just Martha? Wasn’t it Mary who “chose the better part”?
There is an interesting connection between the First Reading (Genesis 18:1-10) and today’s Gospel (Luke 10:38-42). At the surface level, Abraham goes out of his way to provide hospitality to his three visitors (the Lord in disguise). Likewise, Martha and Mary are extending hospitality to the Lord. A theme common to both readings seems to be their willingness to serve the Lord.
Then comes the new wrinkle in the gospel: Martha sort of complains that she is doing all the work, or at least needs help. So she tells the Lord to “disengage” Mary from his teaching, so that Mary can assist her in the kitchen. The Lord surprisingly refuses, and replies to Martha that Mary has made a very good choice – in fact, the only choice one should ever make!
That clearly is the point of the gospel story: listening to the Lord and resting in his presence is more important that busying oneself with the duties or routines of daily life. Mary chose to listen to the Lord; Martha chose (as her first priority) to work in the kitchen. Both are necessary, but when the Lord is present, our own agenda must be put aside to hear what the Lord wishes to teach us.
Martha gained more status in the eyes of the Church because she was the one who later came forward and expressed her belief in the divinity of Jesus. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Martha told him, “She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:27). Is it possible that Jesus worked his miracle of raising Lazarus only because of Martha’s faith? In any event, Martha’s profession of faith earned her a special, annual feast day, July 29.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The duty of passing forward the Lord’s teachings is now the responsibility of every lay Christian by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation (CCC #900). This is how the world can hear the Gospel anc come to know Christ (ibid.). Faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17)!
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Q589: How can we become more like Martha’s sister Mary?
We really ought to rivet our attention on one key clause in today’s gospel story about Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). It says “there is need of only one thing.” Just like Jesus himself, God’s inspired word is the same yesterday, today and forever (cf. Hebrews 13:8). So what is the one thing that you and I really need?
Just for a moment, put yourself into the sandals of Martha. She is the first one to greet Jesus; but then she goes scurrying off to do her other chores. We aren’t told whether she was sweeping the house, preparing a meal, cleaning the outdoor oven, mending clothes, or simply engaging in the duties associated with hospitality. Whatever those many tasks were, they kept her fully occupied and unavailable to Jesus.
Compare that with the way your own normal day begins and continues. After you are awake, dressed and fed, do you give the Lord a quick “Good Morning” and then set about your tasks for the day in the style of Martha? Or do you spend some quality time first at the feet of the Lord, like Mary, reflecting on his teachings? What method do you use to grow in your faith? Jesus is trying to move the focus of Martha (and us) from the physical to the spiritual level.
Faith comes from hearing; but that faith cannot grow unless we enter the Lord’s presence and let him teach us every single day. We need to read and reflect on the daily Mass scripture readings that bring us those teachings. Do you belong to a bible study group, which helps one focus on God’s word?
Being in the Lord’s presence and listening to him is the one thing we need the most.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The Church vigorously urges us to read scripture daily, accompanied by prayer. We speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read his holy word (CCC #2653).
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