First reading: Gen. 18:1–10a

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: “Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree. Now that you have come this close to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way.” The men replied, “Very well, do as you have said.”

Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, “Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls.” He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Then Abraham got some curds and milk, as well as the steer that had been prepared, and set these before the three men; and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.

They asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?” He replied, “There in the tent.” One of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.”

Second reading: Col. 1:24–28

Brothers and sisters: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Gospel: Lk. 10:38–42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

In other words

by Fr. Sisoy Cellan, SVD (Philippine Southern Province)

In her novel Sense and Sensibility, English author Jane Austen tells the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The older sister, Elinor, embodies the qualities of “sense”—of being reasonable, restrained, responsible, and clear-headed in her concern for the good of others. Marianne, however, epitomizes “sensibility”—emotional, spontaneous, impulsive, and passionately devoted. Although classified as a romantic narrative of two sisters, Austen’s novel somehow finds resonance in the story of another pair of sisters in today’s Gospel. Martha could be viewed as someone embodying sense, while Mary could represent sensibility.

It is important to know the context in which Jesus visited the sisters. He was, in fact, on his way to Jerusalem where he would be judged and would subsequently be facing death. His days were numbered and he knew it. And, so, he could be feeling forlorn, crestfallen, isolated. If anything, his visit to Martha and Mary was something he desperately needed and his way of seeking comfort and solace from dear friends. Mary understood this, so she stayed close to the Lord and listened to his words, pains, and inner turmoil. Martha was in another dimension. Her intention was to give the best the house could offer to the Lord—food of the tastiest kind, perhaps as her parting gift. She missed the purpose of Jesus’ visit though and what mattered most to him at that moment.

This can happen to the best of us. We help people, but often we do it our way, on our own terms, in a manner that merely suits and satisfies us. While our intentions may be pure, our kind and generous actions could hurt or harm those we are trying to help. We talk of parents who are too busy at work and spend less time with their children. We speak of husbands and wives who are too preoccupied with their careers to the detriment of their marital relationships. We talk of friends hanging out together but still feeling lonely and disengaged. In many ways, it is not enough to do something good for others; we also must do things with them. Mary’s sitting at the feet of Jesus highlights the necessity of spending time with the Lord in prayerful silence and meditative listening. On the other hand, Martha’s active and dynamic service, while deserving of appreciation, should not undermine Mary’s contemplative approach.

There are no either-or options for us, taking our pick between Martha and Mary. We need to strive to be like both. Regardless of our temperament and personality types, finding a balance in life is critical. The complementary relationship between these two qualities underlines the importance of having a more meaningful and well-grounded approach to Christian ministry and discipleship. Martha could represent the active dimension of our Christian faith, Mary the contemplative element—Martha for reason and action, Mary for prayer and pious devotion.