Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the front of our Welcome Center, St. Raphael Hall, it is literally set in stone the first verse of Chapter 53 in the Rule of St. Benedict, “Let all guests be welcomed as Christ.” In our first reading today, we have the famous meeting of the three men to Abraham and Sarah, traditionally the Old Testament’s Holy Trinity. One of them, Prophecy, said that in a year, when they return, Sarah would become pregnant.
What we don’t read is that Sarah hears the man speaking, and she laughs at this and probably thinks, “me? Yeah right!” But the man says why were you laughing? And being afraid, Sarah said, “I didn’t laugh!” and the man immediately said, “Yes, you did!” This is proof that we can hide nothing from God! He made us, and we belong to him and him alone! He knows who we are, our struggles, fears, doubts, anxieties – EVERYTHING!
Christ says to Martha in the gospel today, “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.” We should carry all of these fears, doubts, anxieties, etc. to Christ because he is the better part. The even better part is that he wants you to bring all these things to him! Why? Because he cares for you!
Reflection by Br. Maximilian Burkhart, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections