Readings and Themes for the Week of July 18, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of July 18, 2010,
Sixteenth Sunday

Reading I Genesis 18: 1 – 10a

Sarah and Abraham receive God as a guest.

Psalm 15

“He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”

Reading II Colossians 1:24-28

The body of Christ suffers and rejoices in our sufferings and joys.

Gospel Luke 10:38-42

Martha and Mary received Jesus as a guest.

THEME:

Hospitality — We welcome Jesus in our lives

Today we listen to remarkable stories of hospitality. As a community, we are called to extend the same kind of hospitality Abraham and Sarah extended to their guests. What they discovered is what awaits our discovery—the presence of God is manifested when we reach out in welcome to all.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Can you name a time recently when you shared what you had with a friend or a classmate?

Question for Youth:

Martha chose to serve. Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him.

Of those two actions, service, or prayer, which do you feel more comfortable with? Why?

Question for Adults:

The Gospel today invites us to serve and to be hospitable.

When did you welcome Jesus into your home through the presence of a neighbor or a stranger?

Bulletin Bites
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things."

Martha is doing what was expected of a good Jewish woman of her day – preparing food for her family and guest. Her sister, Mary, also a good Jewish woman, plops herself down at the feet of Jesus and absorbs every word He says. Martha finally confronts Jesus, "Lord, make her help me!” Jesus knows that Martha is not doing anything wrong. She is doing what she believes is expected of her. And she is doing it very well. Jesus suggests she should not be so concerned about what others expect of her, but should spend time to discern what God expects of her. What God expects of us can be quite different than what the world expects of us. We discern God’s will for us in prayer – prayer that is not about what we say to God, but about what we are willing to hear from God…

Fr. Hacker Fagot, S.J. [d. January 5, 2010} admits that “Too often my prayer is not God, Thy will be done! But, God Thy will be changed!”

Do we pray? What is our prayer?