HOMILY FOR THE MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARTHA. 29.07.2020.

Saint Martha

Readings: Jeremiah 15:10.16-21; Psalm 59 and Luke 10:38-42. 

HOSPITALITY AND SERVICE

 

On this day, we celebrate the memorial of St. Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, who were friends to our Lord Jesus Christ, of which Christ visit the family and she expressed an act of service and hospitality as seen in the gospel of today. She is also the one known to have professed her faith on the resurrection of the body on the last day. Commemorating her this day helps us to reflect on our life of hospitality and service. How do we relate with our visitors? Are our doors or gates open to welcome them or do we shut our gates against them?

 

Some of us have created ‘barricades’ to prevent visitors from coming around, we do not want disturbance, we just want to be at ‘peace.’ We are uninterested of the need or plight of our visitors and may even ask our security guards to informs them of our absent at home while we are in. On some occasions, even when we welcome visitors or strangers with words, our actions speaks otherwise. With words, we may say ‘you are welcome’, but our facial expression or the tune of our voice communicates that such visitor is not welcomed. No doubt, it is better for some visitors not to come too close in other to prevent unforeseen havocs. However, Christ wants us to learn something called hospitality and service in the midst of this.

 

From today’s gospel according to Luke, “Jesus entered a village a woman named Martha received him into her house.” Yes, she had a sister called Mary, but it was Martha, who received him into her house, while Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listen to his teaching. Notably, her act of hospitality enabled Mary to have access to the better portion. What if she had not welcomed Jesus, would Mary had access to sit at the feet of Christ? As regards her hospitality, the reading from the sermons of St. Augustine in today’s liturgy of hours present to us that, “Martha received Christ just as pilgrims are received. But it was the servant receiving her Lord, the sick woman receiving her savior, the creature receiving her Creator. She who had to be fed with the Spirit received him who had to be fed with flesh…the Savior had flesh in which he could indeed hunger and thirst.” This was what Martha desired to do, unknowing to her that she was the receiver.

 

Interestingly, is her act of service; Luke recorded that “Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching while Martha was distracted in her service.” She went to the Christ and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” The response of Christ does not infer that Martha was wrong in service; rather, she was distracted with much service of which Christ calls our attention to our priority. This distraction could be losing sight of Christ; it could be leaving the feet of Christ. The feet of Christ in Jewish culture portrays a teacher and student or disciple atmosphere, that is, we learn at the feet of Christ. At the distraction and complain of Martha, she was losing sight of Christ and distancing herself from learning.

 

Practically, this calls us not to be distracted or grow weary on our journey with Christ, we are called to fight against complains and grumbling attitudes, for everybody must not be like us. When we make efforts to be better Christians in our service, let us do it with disposition of heart and should not use ourselves as yardstick to judge and condemn others not meeting to expectations. Let us not be too occupy with our service as priests and religious, let us not be distracted with our service in our places of work or studies and fail to sit at the feet of Christ to pray or listen to him. As Martha welcomed Christ to her house, let us welcome him in our hearts and stay with him through our prayers, the Scripture and the Blessed Sacrament. May God help us to have our eyes fixed on Him and to stay at His feet through Christ our Lord. Amen! Peace be with you!

 

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ