+CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY 16TH Sunday C, July 17.2022
These words of St Paul summarize the mystery of this Sunday’s celebration. The mystery that has been hidden from ages and from generations past is now manifest to those who have eyes to see. As we are gathered here this morning let us realize that to us has been given to know the riches of the glory of God in Christ Jesus who lives among us.
The first reading about Abraham and the three men visiting him speaks of God’s closeness to the people of his time and ours. And I wonder if the three coming into Abraham’s tent are not meant to be a beautiful image of God’s own Trinitarian life. It has been pointed out how today’s gospel of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary was probably chosen because of its close link with Abraham’s own experience of divine visitation. We all do well to be attentive to those moments when God draws near to our lives, comes to us as to Abraham and Sarah with the promise of a whole new life to be born to us as to them.
The visit of Covid to our Gethsemani community was not at all expected and at first, seemed to bring anything but new life or vitality. But hasn’t it been a call to share with St Paul in the sufferings of Christ, to fill up in our flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions on behalf of his body, the church? None of us could have guessed what we were in for a couple weeks ago! We have been asked at times to fill in for others like never before in our many years of monastic life. As demanding as it has been, it has brought forth generosity and even joy that must delight the heart of our Redeemer.
Much has been written about our gospel, Christ’s visit to the home of Martha and Mary. His words to Martha are certainly no condemnation of her generous hospitality, even less, any kind of criticism of apostolic activity within the Church. What Jesus criticizes is Martha’s anxiety, the way she let her work stand in the way of what Mary is doing as she sits at his feet. At the heart of our Christian lives is Mary’s careful, attentive listening to the word of God, letting Christ’s presence pervade the whole of our lives. His presence in us is our hope of glory. Everything else is secondary when compared to this sitting at Christ’s feet in all the circumstances of our lives, listening to the divine Word of as it wells up from down deep within our hearts.
Our Christian faith tells us that Christ is constantly drawing near to every aspect of our lives, so great is God’s love for us. At this very Eucharistic celebration God’s infinite love is made present at this altar, where the very moment of Christ’s dying for love of us is made present. Out of this great act of love, Christ gives us his very own Body and Blood to be our food for the whole of our daily lives. As we live by the strength it gives, His own Love becomes manifest to all who live in our world today.
(Gen 18:1-10a; Col 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42)