BEING WITH AND DOING FOR…
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...).
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.
You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross
Greeting and Introductory Words
L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.
L: It is amusing to see people with cameras at occasions or at locales. They are so focussed on getting the right shot that they miss the whole experience and miss being with people. They see it only through the camera lens. It is easy for us to miss what is going on around us, to get so busy doing things that we fail to be with people and to enjoy their presence.
Let us pray that we may enjoy the precious moments life gives us to be with people.
Penitential Rite
L: For the time we have focused on doing many things instead of “wasting” it with people, let us ask the Lord to forgive us.
Pause
L: Lord Jesus, you spent time with your disciples:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you interacted with the people you healed:
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you spent time at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
Gloria
Opening Prayer
L: Eternal God,
you draw near to us in Christ
and make yourself our guest.
Amid the cares of our daily lives,
make us attentive to your voice
and alert to your presence,
that we may treasure your word above all else.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
A: Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings
The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.
Reading 1 Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
Response He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reading 2 Colossians 1:24-28
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
Gospel Luke 10:38-42
Reflection on the Readings
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.
Lectio Divina
Imagine you are in the house of Martha and Mary. What are your thoughts and feelings when you see Martha scurry about serving Jesus and Mary quietly sitting at his feet; when you hear Martha speak with Jesus; and when you hear Jesus’ response?
Sunday Snippets
One hears parents complain: “I slog from morning till night to give my kids the best. They don’t care. for whom am I working if not for them?” Children also complain: “Dad and Mum never spend time with me.” A dilemma! To be with people or to do things for them?
This dilemma finds an echo in today’s Gospel story. Martha and Mary both respond to Jesus’ presence—one by serving him, the other by sitting with him. Both responses are good yet seem to contradict each other.
It’s not a question of work vs prayer. To understand the story, it is necessary to look at its context. Today’s incident comes after the parable of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus concludes with the words: “Go and do likewise.” The passage that follows today’s pericope is about prayer. In between we have today’s real-life situation: Martha serves Jesus and Mary simply sits with him. Who is neighbour to Jesus?
Reginald Fuller, a biblical scholar, suggests that the Martha-Mary story is a corrective to the activism in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus’ command “Go and do likewise” is meaningful only when it flows from hearing the word/prayer. For Martha’s service to be a true expression of love of neighbour, it would need to flow out of being with Jesus.
Further, it’s about discerning what a person needs in a particular situation and at a given moment. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to his passion and death. His greatest need is not “many things” but an empathetic-silent presence. That is what Mary gives him.
Finally, it’s about balance! Some of us are like Martha and some like Mary. We need to combine the two: without sitting and listening—to God and people—our doing leads to anxiety and anger; without doing, our faith and our love are empty, our being is passive.
Like Martha, we could get distracted by many things. We need to spend time with people. This will help us to discern what they want and need, and then we can meet that need.
Will my love of neighbour flow from my being with the Lord? Will I discern a person’s need and then meet that need? Will I strike a balance between being with people and doing things for them?
Questions to Ponder
Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:
Reading 1: What does this story of Abraham’s hospitality signify? Why is hospitality important? How would I compare it to Martha’s hospitality in the Gospel reading? Who needs my hospitality today?
Reading 2: If I had a task like Paul’s, to take God’s love places where it is not known well, how would I do it? Could hospitality be a starting point?
Gospel: With whom do I identify most in this story, Mary or Martha? What can I learn from this passage about myself?
If I were Martha, what would I have done differently? If I were Mary, what would I have done differently?
The Creed
Prayer of the Faithful
L: As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to love and serve one another, so let us turn to the Father with our prayers for ourselves and for our world, and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
R: For the Church: that our deeds of hospitality and service may reveal to all people a glimpse of the face of God, we pray…
R: For the world: that God may turn hearts from violence, open new opportunities for dialogue, and protect innocent people from attacks and violence, we pray…
R: For those suffering especially in Ukraine and Sri Lanka: that God may protect them from harm, and inspire nations and peoples to respond to their needs, we pray…
R: For those whose lives are filled with distraction and fears: that their anxieties may be calmed, and they may be able to rest in the stillness of God’s presence, we pray…
R: For all who are ill: that God’s healing spirit may bring them through their illness and restore them to wholeness, we pray…
R: For greater stewardship: that the Spirit may guide us in sharing our time, talents, and resources in support of the church of the forgotten of society and of creation, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that God may free us from overworking, help us find the life-giving balance, and recognize the relationships which bring us life, we pray…
L: Lord, with Abraham and Sarah we open wide our hearts to serve you; with Mary we open wide our ears to hear your word; with Martha we open wide our hands to do your work. May our prayer today centre our lives on your Son, Jesus Christ, who is Lord for ever and ever.
A: Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
The Lord’s Prayer
Spiritual Communion
A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.
Post Spiritual Communion Reflection
Lord,
serving Martha
readied the table, cooked the meal, and waited on you;
resting Mary
sat herself down at your feet and listened to you.
O Jesus,
call us to rest at your feet and listen;
to share for a while with you that one thing that is necessary.
And then, let us bustle about serving it to others
and reach out to them in love and service.
Let us take the riches and glory of your love
to every part of your world, to every person,
so all can know you and your compassion for all people.
CONCLUDING RITE
Concluding Prayer
L: Our loving God and Father,
you have invited us to stay with you,
to listen to the message of Jesus your Son
and to accept from him your peace and love.
May we welcome him wholeheartedly
and learn from him to welcome him too
in people who appeal to us
for forgiveness and a bit of warmth,
for patience and hope and joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
Blessing
L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.
Conclude with a hymn. For instance:
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