Here is the reflection I shared with those who gathered to pray with us this weekend: some simple thoughts about hospitality inspired by Abraham, Martha and Mary.
When I have the chance, I like to cook a meal, welcome friends and spend time sitting around a table exchanging stories. Over the years that have come and gone since my Ordination, I have actually managed to assemble a few sets of dishes. I still like to take the time to set the table - whenever I can - and to make a fuss about creating the right atmosphere for such stories to be told. In fact, such special occasions are always treasured but I find that as time has gone on, such stories get told no matter whether we are sitting down to an elaborate meal served on expensive dishes or to a simple picnic served on paper plates.
The tradition of welcoming strangers and friends around a dinner table is deeply engrained in the history of humanity, and this is a very good thing. In the first reading for today's liturgy, we see Abraham involving his entire household in hurried preparations in order to serve unexpected guests (cf Gn 18:1-10). In the gospel, we find Martha rushing around, and her sister Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. When Martha asks Jesus to insist that Mary should help her with the preparations for the meal, his response is a surprise to her: not at all what she had hoped for (cf Lk 10:39-42).
Saint Luke does not tell us how Martha responded to Jesus' words. We can choose to hear them spoken not as a rebuke, but rather as a tender invitation to come closer, to live life more deeply and to love more richly. Each of us can make a conscious choice to focus on Jesus Christ. If we do, we will experience the world around us in light of that choice, and tomorrow, we can choose once again to make Him the central focus of all that we do, and soon enough we will find that we in turn are sharing the word of God with those we encounter (cf Col 1:25).
Lessons in hospitality
When I have the chance, I like to cook a meal, welcome friends and spend time sitting around a table exchanging stories. Over the years that have come and gone since my Ordination, I have actually managed to assemble a few sets of dishes. I still like to take the time to set the table - whenever I can - and to make a fuss about creating the right atmosphere for such stories to be told. In fact, such special occasions are always treasured but I find that as time has gone on, such stories get told no matter whether we are sitting down to an elaborate meal served on expensive dishes or to a simple picnic served on paper plates.
The tradition of welcoming strangers and friends around a dinner table is deeply engrained in the history of humanity, and this is a very good thing. In the first reading for today's liturgy, we see Abraham involving his entire household in hurried preparations in order to serve unexpected guests (cf Gn 18:1-10). In the gospel, we find Martha rushing around, and her sister Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. When Martha asks Jesus to insist that Mary should help her with the preparations for the meal, his response is a surprise to her: not at all what she had hoped for (cf Lk 10:39-42).
Saint Luke does not tell us how Martha responded to Jesus' words. We can choose to hear them spoken not as a rebuke, but rather as a tender invitation to come closer, to live life more deeply and to love more richly. Each of us can make a conscious choice to focus on Jesus Christ. If we do, we will experience the world around us in light of that choice, and tomorrow, we can choose once again to make Him the central focus of all that we do, and soon enough we will find that we in turn are sharing the word of God with those we encounter (cf Col 1:25).
L'art de l'hospitalité
Lorsque j'en ai l'occasion, j'aime cuisiner, j'aime aussi accueillir des amis et passer du temps assis autour d'une table en échangeant des histoires. Au fil des années qui se sont découlé depuis mon ordination, j'ai même réussi à assembler quelques vaisselles. J'aime toujours prendre le temps de mettre la table et de créer la bonne atmosphère pour que de telles histoires soient racontées. En fait, de telles occasions spéciales sont toujours précieuses, mais je trouve qu'avec le temps, de telles histoires sont racontées, que nous soyons assis pour un repas élaboré servi dans des plats coûteux ou pour un simple pique-nique servi dans des assiettes en papier.
La tradition d'accueillir des étrangers et des amis autour d'une table est profondément enracinée dans l'histoire de l'humanité et c'est une très bonne chose. Lors de la première lecture de la liturgie d'aujourd'hui, nous voyons Abraham engager tout son ménage dans des préparatifs précipités afin de servir des invités inattendus (cf Gn 18,1-10). Dans l'évangile, nous trouvons Marthe qui se précipite et sa sœur Marie assise aux pieds de Jésus. Lorsque Marthe demande à Jésus d'insister pour que Marie l'assiste à préparer le repas, sa réponse est une surprise pour elle: pas du tout ce qu'elle avait attendu (cf Lc 10,39-42).
Saint Luc ne nous dit pas comment Marthe a répondu aux paroles de Jésus. Nous pouvons choisir de les entendre non pas comme une réprimande, mais comme une tendre invitation à se rapprocher, à vivre plus profondément et à aimer plus richement. Chacun de nous peut choisir consciemment de se concentrer sur Jésus-Christ. Si nous le faisons, nous ferons l'expérience du monde qui nous entoure à la lumière de ce choix et, demain, nous pourrons choisir une fois de plus de le placer au centre de tout ce que nous faisons. Bientôt, nous constaterons que nous partageons les paroles du Seigneur avec ceux et celles que nous rencontrons (cf Col 1,25).
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