First reading Genesis 18:1-10
‘Next year your wife Sarah will have a son’
The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say.’
Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.’ ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.
‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.’
Responsorial Psalm 14(15):2-5
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.
He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.
He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.
Second reading Colossians 1:24-28
A mystery hidden for generations has been revealed to God’s saints
It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.
Gospel Luke 10:38-42
Martha works; Mary listens
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’
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Hospitality
In today’s first reading, Abraham welcomed three travellers into his home, showing great hospitality, not realising he was hosting God and two angels. This reflects Jesus’ teaching that how we treat others is how we treat Him (Matthew 25:40). God enters our lives through those we meet, and we are called to recognise Him in others by fostering a spirit of hospitality. It’s essential that everyone feels valued and respected, as serving others is a way to express our love for God.
In the Gospel, we see Martha showing hospitality to Jesus by inviting Him into her home. However, she became caught up in the busyness of preparing and serving that she ignored Him. In contrast, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him, forming a deeper connection with Him. Jesus regarded Mary’s choice as having chosen the “better part”. Hospitality involves not only the practical aspects of serving others but also the importance of creating space for developing relationships and connections. This passage serves as a reminder that amidst the busyness of meeting others’ needs, we must also focus on attending to them as individuals. Sometimes, what people truly need from us is not material help but our attention and presence.
Reflective question:
How can I put hospitality into practice today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
