Sunday
Gospel Reflection
July
20, 2025. Cycle C
Luke
10:38-42
Divine
Communion
by Fr.
Jack Peterson
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The
church serves up another spectacular meal at the table of God’s
Word today. All three readings help us to gain important
insights into one of God’s greatest gifts to us — communion with
him.
Our
first reading from the book of Genesis recounts a mysterious
event in the life of Abraham, our father in faith. In the light
of our Christian faith, we are able to see a clear, if not
slightly veiled, reference to the Holy Trinity. The passage
begins, “The Lord appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre
as he sat at the entrance of his tent.” Then, “looking up,
Abraham saw three men standing nearby.” Abraham proceeds to
provide the three men a meal. This mysterious meal has inspired
many icons through the years. The one by Andrei Rublev became
famous during the years of preparation for our celebration of
the Third Millennium of Christianity that were dedicated to the
three persons of the Holy Trinity by St. John Paul II.
The
text that precedes this meal recounts that God had just revised
and renewed his covenant with Abra-ham. One particularly
important development was the promise of kingship to Abraham
that would start with a future son of Sarah and Abraham.
Covenants in the Old Testament were established, renewed and
sealed through a meal. The ritual meal was a definitive sign of
new, deeper communion with God. At this sacred meal, Abraham and
Sarah provide bread, meat, curds, and milk while God provides
the dessert, the promise that God will return next year and
Sarah will have a son.
Paul,
in our second reading from Colossians, takes a deep dive into
the mystery of human suffering, “Brothers and sisters: Now I
rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.” Jesus has transformed
the deeper realities of our human existence and renewed our
minds with his revelation. Paul goes so far as to claim that he
actually rejoices in his sufferings for the sake of his fellow
Christians. Next, Paul makes the bold statement, “and in my
flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of
Christ.” What Christ did for us through the Paschal mystery was
completely sufficient to redeem the world. Nothing more,
certainly from weak and sinful human beings, is needed. However,
we all suffer and indeed, must suffer while on this journey
through life. “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me.’ ” (Mt. 16:24) Christ grants us the great privilege
of freely choosing to unite our suffering to his by an act of
faith in Christ and trust in the wise and holy will of our
Heavenly Father. Christ does not need our suffering, but he
grants us the privilege of assisting him in his redemptive
mission by offering our crosses up to the Father in union with
Christ and his one, supreme sacrifice. The most privileged place
to do this is at Mass, especially during the offertory prayers:
“Pray my brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.” This marvelous effort
to join our trials and tribulations to the suffering of Christ
and offer them to the Father deepens our communion with God,
especially at Mass.
Now,
let us turn to the Gospel. On his way up to Jerusalem, our
precious Lord stops at the home of Martha and Mary for a meal.
In this way, the two women are quite similar to Abraham; they
are blessed to welcome God to a meal that they prepare in their
home.
Martha
and Mary respond very differently to the arrival of their
honored guest. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and soaks up his every
word. Martha, on the other hand, becomes quite anxious and
overburdened with serving up a nice meal. Jesus states: “There
is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part.” The
better part is, indeed, communion with Christ. It makes little
sense to invite Jesus to your house, serve him a meal and fail
to enter into genuine communion with him.
Jesus
is gentle, but firm with Martha. He repeats her name twice
suggesting a level of care and intimacy. Surely, Our Lord is
happy with her effort and generosity. He is most grateful for
the meal set before him. However, he does not want those
preparations to cause such anxiety that they prevent her from a
deep encounter with him, from his offer of communion with her.
Jesus’
bottomless love for each one of us drives him to seek communion
with us. It is the one thing necessary. What are you doing to
respond appropriately to Jesus’ offer of Holy Communion?