Genesis 18:1-10a; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke Lk 10:38-42
The Message, Not the Messenger: God’s visits are turning points
After the lesson on our neighbors last week, exemplified by the parable of the good Samaritan, a lesson in hospitality and kindness to our neighbors, typified by the people in need, whosoever they may be, we move today to love of God. Interesting, last Sunday’s gospel summarized all the commandments of God as love of neighbor and love of God. Today, we deal with how to love God from the example of Abraham.
It is important to remember that Abram’s name has been changed to Abraham, and God had promised him, during the change of his name within a covenant context, that Abraham will be a Father of a multitude of nations, yet Abraham and Sarah continued to be barren – no children (Genesis 17:5). If God made you a promise and the fulfillment of the promise becomes more remote by the day, would you still love him by keeping his commandments? How easy is it to keep God’s commandments, when he seems to have abandoned us?
After years of barrenness and expectation of a child; haven passed the period of expectancy and fertility, and gradually settling for human reality that nothing good will come out of God’s promise, then the sudden announcement: “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son” (Genesis 18:10). In fact, the meaning of “Isaac,” the child that will be born, means “she laughed”: who will not laugh, when biological functions have outlived their usefulness, given the age of Sarah, why dream dreams?
In the thickest of darkness, faith sees clearly; in the most improbable of situations occasioned by doubt and illogicality, God comes to those who faithfully wait for him, he appears to them with good news beyond their expectation. Indeed, what was Abraham doing at the entrance of his house instead of inside or under a tree to enjoy a cool brace in the heat of the day? It was simply because he had not forgotten that he had an appointment with God, that God promised to visit him, and he kept faith with God.
What is helpful in the understanding of our first reading today is the biblical meaning of the “knowledge of God”: what does the “knowledge of God” mean? It simply means keeping God’s commandments or doing God’s will. Since Abraham knew God, he recognized in the men of the first reading, people who needed rest and food because it was normal and required of people to be hospitable to those in need; by keeping and practicing this virtue or commandment of hospitality, Abraham received God’s messengers or visit by God. Here, we see how the ordinary practice of virtue makes it possible for God to fulfill his promises, and make it possible for God to mingle with human beings through the presence of his angels, thanks to human hospitality.
The transition from the message of our first reading, a God who visits to fulfill his promise to give offspring to Abraham, and a God who visits Mary and Martha in Jesus Christ, in order to offer them the message of Salvation, clearly shows that attention should be paid to the message God brings and offers rather than the messenger. The message to Abraham – you will have a child by next year; the message of Jesus to Mary and Martha, God is with us – Emmanuel. Unfortunately, Martha didn’t recognize the presence of God, Mary did. It took the intervention of God to make Martha realize that God was in her home: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing;” so the message of salvation is more important than food. Mary realized this spiritual food, and so sat at Jesus’s feet to be nourished spiritually.
In Mary and Martha we see ourselves; either we are like Martha working so hard to make money or chasing after power and influence so mush so that we have no time for God and to work out our salvation in fear and trembling; or we see ourselves in Mary doing our best to listen to God’s message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Our attitudes to spiritual things can tell us whether we are on the side of God or against him. What we do proves whether we have the knowledge of God or not.
In our second reading, St. Paul tells us the attitude of a Christian, of a person who has the knowledge of God: no complaints when doing good. In fact, complaining is an excuse not to work, not to do good. Hear what Paul says: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister” (Colossians 1:24-25). Martha dared to complain to Jesus about Mary not helping her. We are like that too: we want our virtues seen, in order to be praised. The problem was not that Martha was getting food ready, it was about her complaint and non-recognition of the presence of God in Jesus Christ. While Abraham kept the strangers company, in the first reading, Sarah got the meals ready: no complaints; the promise brought to Abraham and Sarah was given and realized. Martha complained, and had to be given a lesson on how to suffer in silence or sit in silence to listen to the word of God, incarnated in Jesus Christ.
Paul shows his joy in suffering for the salvation of others. Today, some people will not make a generous donation, unless they were asked to make it publicly, to be seen and heard by others. Today, some Catholic priests complain about the vow of chastity and poverty and obedience, as if they were forced to become priests or to remain priests! Parents complain about sufferings in bring up their kids, as if they were forced into marriage or raped to be mothers and fathers. Pastors and evangelists will be angry because the Sunday collection is poor or that the congregation does not show them enough respect. It is the love and joy which we bring to the service of God that proves our knowledge of God. Yes, there are inconveniences associated with being parents, priests, and pastors, but those inconveniences are sources of joy because we serve God through them.
We are all ministers of God, who love God, when we still recognize God when the going gets tough, when we transform inconveniences into occasions of joy. The knowledge God is not consistent with earthly knowledge; it is not the mentality of today, the so-called eleventh commandment: “thou shall not be caught!” Knowledge of God implies selfless service; it means working for the salvation of everybody like Paul in our second reading. The moment we rejoice that someone is doing wrong, that someone is on his or her way to hell, then we lack the knowledge of God. Love of God is love of neighbor, especially that not-so-good a neighbor of mine and yours!
Assignment for the week:
Whenever you are tempted to complain this week, say a prayer instead.