SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Genesis 18:1-10
Psalm 15
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42

    THE ART OF CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY

Individualism is one of the many evils that characterize our world today. Thus, today’s readings invite us to take a fresh look at hospitality and how to set our priorities right. In the first reading, Abraham welcomed and offered rest and food to three unknown men in his tent. And his generosity turned to be a blessing to him and to his barren wife Sarah. This passage can be summed up in the words of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

The Gospel reading offers another story of hospitality. Martha receives Jesus and his disciples as they were on their way to Jerusalem. Unlike her sister Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him, Martha became so anxious about serving the immediate needs of her guests. And according to Jesus, she missed the point: listening to him. This way, Mary became a model of contemplative life. She chose the better part that no one could ever take from her.

Most often we act like Martha doing so many things at a time without knowing what should be our priority in life. We want to do it all to be good and excellent in many areas. But we forget our spiritual health, our closeness with God. We run all day and end the day tired so much so that we are unable even to pray. Even during liturgical celebrations we become much distracted and are in a hurry to get out as if somebody is chasing us out of the church.

Like Abraham and Martha, we must show concern to those who come to us and need our attention and service. Nevertheless like Mary, we must always find time to sit at our Lord’s feet, listen to him and speak to him in prayer on a daily basis. By so doing, we will be enabled to become true ministers at the service of others and get strength to bear gladly the difficulties and sufferings we meet like St Paul in the second reading. May the Lord bless and keep all of us.
Amen

15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Psalm 69
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 10:25-37

BEHOLD YOUR NEIGHBOUR!

The written law, as we hear in today’s first reading, is meant not only to help us remain faithful to God, but also to manifest God’s love and closeness to us. This law is not too mysterious (wonderful) and distant. It is close to us, so that we may hear it, meditate on it and put it into practice. Meanwhile this law of God is summed up in the commandment of love: to love God and to love one’s neighbour.

As a Ghanaian proverb says, no one shows God to a child, for the knowledge of God is innate. But who is our neighbour? This is the question the famous and well-known parable of the Good Samaritan presented in today’s gospel reading tries to answer. To a Jewish audience therefore a neighbour would be referring to a fellow Jew and would have excluded any non-Jew including Samaritans. Again, in the time of Jesus, Samaritans and Jews did not get along nor did they associate (cf John 4:9). No way a Jew would talk to a Samaritan, let alone being helped by one. Yet in the parable, the man, who was rubbed, injured and left half-dead, had no choice but to accept help from a Samaritan who was moved with compassion for his misery.

Thus, the parable of the Good Samaritan has been given to correct our understanding of who a neighbour is. Like the priest and the Levite, how many times have we not failed to show love and compassion to own kind or fellows let alone to talk about that “outsider”, that “stranger” or someone we do not know. “Go and do the same” is an invitation to us all. We are to show compassion and love for those we encounter in our everyday activities. We are to love others regardless of their ethnic background, race or religion, because anyone we meet is our neighbour and compassion has no boundaries. By so doing, we will inherit eternal life.
May God bless and have keep all of us. Amen

14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Isaiah 66:10-14
Psalm 66
Galatians 6:14-18
Luke 10:1-12.17-20

YOU ARE A MESSENGER OF CHRIST

There is always the need to preach the Good News to all people. This need is more urgent today than ever. The first reading exhorts us to rejoice and be glad. This joy is focused around Jerusalem, the City of God. Here God speaks like a mother. He promises unfailing love, care, consolation, restoration and renewal to his people. In the second reading, St Paul expresses his joy to have a share in the suffering of Christ. He ends his letter with words of blessing and invokes the peace and mercy of the Lord upon those who embrace the new creation brought about through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the gospel, Jesus commissions seventy-two messengers to go ahead of him proclaiming the Good News. Jesus realizes that the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few. There is therefore the need to pray the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into his vineyard. Unfortunately, upon hearing these words, we usually think of priests and religious as the sole missionaries and evangelizers. But each Christian is a Christ-bearer, a missionary by virtue of his baptism.

Consequently, unless we too bring the message of peace and joy to others, we are not worthy of our baptism, which becomes an empty ritual like circumcision. At the end of each Mass, we are told: “Go forth, the Mass is ended.” It is a sending forth, a mission we receive. Thus our mission is to share with others what we have received from the Lord. At each Mass we are comforted and renewed by being fed from the Word and Eucharist as from the breasts of a mother. As such, we must fill the hearts of others with this joy and peace. We must gladden and console all we meet.
May the Lord help us to become trustworthy messengers so as to change the world. Amen