Jesus At The Home With Martha And Mary


OCTOBER 04, 2022, TUESDAY
MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, RELIGIOUS (White)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 462

Reading 1
GAL 1:13-24

Brothers and sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, 
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.
So they glorified God because of me.

Responsorial Psalm
PS 139:1B-3, 13-14AB, 14C-15

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 

 

Alleluia
LK 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”


GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The Most significant in this story is the attitude taken by Mary, sitting attentively at the feet of Jesus listening to what he was saying. As a true disciple, Mary recognises that Jesus has far more to offer her in terms of spiritual nourishment than she or Martha can offer him. Each of us has to find the balance between service of the Kingdom and moments of serious attentiveness to God. Both the active and contemplative dimensions of Christian life are necessary.

Have I lost sight of what is most important in life? Am I so busy doing many things that I do not have any time for God? Is my work for the Lord causing me to be anxious and troubled? Has love disappeared? Lord, please help me to put things in perspective and not to lose sight of my mission in life, which is ‘to love and serve in all things’.

PRAYER:

Lord, there have been times when I was more in touch with my own habits and emotions than those of the friends who come to me. Give me antennae like Mary's.


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