16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Genesis 18:1-10a         Colossians 1: 24-28               Luke 10:38-42

Theme: Hospitality attracts God’s favour

In the 1st reading of today from the Book of Genesis, we see how the action of Abraham attracted God’s blessings to his household. The generousity that Abraham showed to the three strangers, whom he did not know, made God to break all the protocols to bless them with a child when all hope was lost already. This was happening at a time when one would say that both Abraham and Sarah his wife have passed the stage of child bearing. This was made possible because of the hospitality and love that Abraham showed the visitors; remember they were passing through his place and not that they were coming to see him as his personal visitors. He went out of his way by inviting them into his house and taking good care of them.

As Christians in our own time, we have a lot to learn from the action of Abraham in today’s 1st reading. He was concerned about their welfare and treated them like his family and friends. In the same way, we are also encouraged to be good to people and be hospitable. They don’t have to be those we know, we should be able to treat everyone who encounters us with love and care; just like Abraham did and attracted the blessings of God to himself and his family. The God of Abraham is still the same God we serve and has not changed; he appreciates every good action that we carry out sincerely in our daily lives. That situation you are presently going through in your life, family or business, can be resolved by God; as a result of your kindness and hospitality to other people. Simply put, God can also decide to break protocols because of your good action.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the saying that hospitality is in the nature of African’s needs to be reactivated in the lives of some of us, nobody becomes poor because he or she was hospitable to someone else. Instead God has a way of blessing such good actions that we carry out in our daily lives. A good example is the case of Abraham in the 1st reading, the blessing was overwhelming. In our journey of life, we meet people every day, those we know and those we do not know; we are encouraged in today’s liturgy to be good and hospitable to people, especially those we do not know. This is because it may be easier to be kind and hospitable to family and friends; unlike those who are strangers to us.

In the gospel reading of today, we see the encounter between Jesus and the two sisters, Mary and Martha. The assertion of Jesus that Mary has chosen the better part does not mean that Jesus is discrediting service, but rather we have to learn to go for what matters most in our life. In this instance, listening to the Word of God is very important. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is an invitation for you and I to listen to attentively to the word of God and put them into practice in our daily life. This brings us to a very important question, how much impact is the word of God that you read and listen to make in your daily life? This is not in any way denying the importance of service in our daily life. At the washing of feet on Holy Thursday, Jesus showed us that service is also very important. Suffice it to say that a combination of listening to the Word and service is a necessity in our life as children of God.

May God grant us the grace to listen to the word of God and put it into practice in our daily life. As we do this, may almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.

 

 

 

 

 

16th Sunday in the ordinary time of the year C, by Fr. Jude Ifeanyi Ifezime, C.S.Sp