'Jesus, in the person of Billy, a destitute man of the roads, sat down at table in my house.' Sunday Reflections, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

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Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

Tintoretto [Web Gallery of Art]

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

Gospel Luke 10:38-42 (English Standard Version Anglicised: India)  

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

 

Léachtaí i nGaeilge


Abraham and the Three Angels
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout [Web Gallery of Art]

And the Lord appeared to [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favour in your sight, do not pass by your servant” (Genesis 18:1-3, First Reading).

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I have used this story a number of times in Sunday Reflections, maybe even recently, and have told it on retreats. It is one that this Sunday’s gospel brings to my mind and has been for me what I call ‘an abiding grace’’.


Continue at Bangor to Bobbio.

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