LORD, DO YOU NOT CARE…?

HOMILY FOR THE 16TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

There is a Chinese proverb that says: a man without a smiling face must not open a shop. The manner we welcome people would determine the way they remain attracted to us. In the First Reading (Gen. 18:1-10a), Abraham and his wife Sarah received and hosted three men who were total strangers; they did this in an outstanding manner. And they got their blessings. The Lord had appeared to Abraham in the form of three men; and recognizing them to be God, he rose, ran towards them and bowed before them. This is a gesture of worship. He beckoned on them to rest and get refreshed before they continued their journey, and pleaded that they wait for a little water to be brought to wash their feet. And realizing that there is no traffic jam along the extra miles, he went an extra mile to prepare a fine meal for them. This show of hospitality did not go unrewarded as Abraham’s family was instantly blessed by God. He was given the promise of a son. The Lord showed that he cared that he had no son; that he was ready to provide for him. Hospitality attracts God’s favours. Those three men did not reject Abraham’s invitation; and this shows how God does not reject the invitation of those who call on him. He is always ready to honour our invitations. When the customer comes first, the customer will last; when God comes first in our lives, God remains.

To recognize God as he passes, we need a compassionate heart that freely desires to show hospitality. We need the spiritual eyes to recognize God in the various events and situations in our lives, but the easiest ways to do this is to see God in the poor and suffering, going extra miles to put smiles (and not ‘wrinkles’) on people’s faces, and seeing the needs of others as more important than ours. A miraculous story is told of a man who was walking down the Street and met a homeless woman with her child hopelessly sitting on the pavement by the road. He had listened to a sermon about “carrying the cross of Christ” and had seen this as an opportunity to share in the cross of Christ. He then invited this woman and her child to come and spend the night in his apartment. On arrival, he showed them around, gave them the keys and walked away. This man had a terminal sickness linked with the lungs that would allow him only but few hours before he would pass on. So he had thought the lives of these people to be more useful than his. He went and spent the night on that pavement beside the road. This worsened his sickness as it landed him at the hospital where he was confirmed dead. Just after some minutes, this man became alive again with his illness totally cured. He narrated his testimony on how he had heard a voice that told him: because you have shown love and hospitality, go back and show more. The more we show hospitality and accept one another, the more we attract God’s favours.

In the Gospel Reading (Luke 10:38-42) is the famous story of Mary and Martha. Just as Abraham and Sarah, Mary and Martha were hosts to Jesus. As Mary showed hospitality by listening to the words of Jesus, Martha tried showing hers by running around in service. They showed hospitality in their different ways. But Martha could not understand that Mary had left her to do all the services while she was with Jesus listening to him. And she asked: Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Now, it has to be pointed out that Jesus was on his journey to Jerusalem just like the three men of the first Reading were on a journey. He came into the house of his friends to rest for a while. He might have been very pre-occupied about this journey and its outcome -his passion and death. At that point, material food did not matter. What mattered was someone that would listen to him. Of course, Martha was innocent of this. She was doing that which for her was necessary, and rightly so. Mary ought to have helped, but she was also being hospitable in her own way -listening. Hence, as Martha was doing a good thing by showing hospitality, Mary was doing another good by listening to Jesus. However, Christ reminded Martha how she was so worried about service, and commended Mary for making a choice of a better part. This means that both ladies might have done something good, but Mary’s goodness as it were, was needed more. And that was the art of listening.  

Why was Martha shown the better part? Martha had complained about her sister’s attitude. The role of Martha is good so long as it does not turn into a complex. Yes, she was doing something good but one might say that her goodness was twisted the moment she wanted Mary to leave Jesus and join her in service. Who would then do the good -listening to Jesus- if Mary had joined her in service? Each of us has got our good deeds and areas where we might be outstanding. Being focused at perfecting ourselves in our own areas without complaining about how we are left alone to do the work or why others must join us should be our interest. The feeling or the desire to incite others to leave their good deeds so as to add greater force and weight to ours might be regarded as the Martha-complex. People with such a complex might be very hard-working, hospitable and caring, but would always end up with the feeling that they have not done any much, or would always get hurt when they do not get helping hands. They might be happy to work and sacrifice, but might end up hurt when they do not get the support they wanted or were not appreciated for their services. They might not want to give others the opportunity to serve and to render help to them and might believe that they must render the services themselves for things to go on well. They might end up becoming slaves to their jobs. Thus, people with the Martha-complex must learn to be capable of receiving services, open and tolerant, becoming focused in their good deeds, and adding cheerfulness to their services. In general, they ought to constantly remind themselves of those gracious words of Mary: let it be done to me according to your words in total openness to the skills and talents of others and in total resignation to the will of God for them. There is the need to decipher what is most needed at each time and to recognize that there can be various routes to the same destination. And as we might have got this complex at one time or another, it is then necessary to think about making the first things first and setting our priorities right.

Two persons had gone to Lourdes on pilgrimage with a singular purpose: to receive healing. The first person immediately forgot the main purpose and started rushing around to see the sights. On her way to pray, she was intrigued by the fast moving crowd, and would pause to take photos. She also saw souvenirs and cards. She might have as well buy them now in case there might not be time later. And being very careful not to leave any stone unturned, she bought them. She might as well post them immediately. Off she went to the post office; after which she heaved a huge sigh of relief. Now, I must go and say some prayers, she said. But by now, she was just about ready to be exhausted. She went to the grotto but was so weak to pray. And later returned to her lounge. The second person passed by the same way and saw the souvenir and card shops. They could wait, she said. She remembered why she had come, and made her way straight to the grotto where she recollected herself and sought to assemble the fragments of her scattered life and laid them before God. She saw how peaceful and refreshing the experience was. She went back to her lounge feeling healed and looking forward for similar experience in the later days. We can now see how two persons would be on the same bed, and one would be taken and the other left (Luke 17:34). It revolves around prioritizing our needs, and listening more to Jesus. For it is through listening to Jesus that we can get more energy and instructions for the services we render to Him and to humanity. The Lord always cares especially when we set our priorities right. Should our priority then as Christians not be God, which is then shown in our hospitality and care for others? Have a lovely week ahead. God bless you.