Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C (2025)
Sunday, July 20, 2025
The Gospel for today, from Luke 10:38-42, presents the familiar and often-debated encounter between Jesus, Martha, and Mary. Martha welcomed Jesus into her home, but soon was distracted by her many tasks and burdened with serving the Lord. Her sister Mary, however, “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.” Martha, feeling overwhelmed, complained to Jesus, asking Him to tell Mary to help her. Jesus’ response is gentle yet profound: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
Ignatian Contemplation is a method of prayer developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises to engage the imagination in entering biblical scenes and spiritual mysteries. One might imagine oneself present in a Gospel scene, using all their senses to engage with the surroundings, the characters, and the actions. This imaginative engagement aims to foster a deeper understanding of our Lord, resulting in a greater love and a desire to follow Him. To cognize Martha’s anxiety and predicament, let us use the Ignatian Contemplation method. Imagine placing yourself in the scene as Martha. Jesus enters your home in Bethany, a home you share with your sister, Mary. You joyfully greet Him, take His cloak and sandals off, bring a washcloth and water to wipe his face, and wash his hands and feet. You invite Him to sit in your favorite seat in the center of the room and race to the kitchen to check on the roast you’re preparing for the occasion. Your desire to bring a choice meal to Jesus is completely understandable! However, your eagerness to cater to Jesus can come at a cost—you risk missing out on the experience of being with Him.
This Gospel passage does not condemn service or hospitality, which Abraham so beautifully exemplified in the Old Testament reading for today (Gen 18:1-10a). Rather, it highlights the importance of prioritizing spiritual nourishment and attentive listening to God’s word. Martha’s service, while commendable, became a source of distraction and worry, preventing her from fully engaging and being wholly present with Jesus during His visit. Mary, by choosing to sit at Jesus’ feet, chose the “better part“—the contemplative act of listening and receiving His word.
Our spiritual lives need nourishment. Pope Francis, in his homily on January 6, 2023, reminds us that faith “[requires] a continuous journey in constant dialogue with the Lord.” That faith cannot grow without “attentive listening to His word, and perseverance”. He states that: “a static faith does not grow; we cannot enclose faith in some personal devotion or confine it within the four walls of our churches; we need to bring it outside and to live it in a constant journey towards God and towards our brothers and sisters.”
Let us strive to integrate both Martha’s active service and Mary’s contemplative devotion into our daily lives. May our service be rooted in prayer, and may our prayer inspire us to serve with greater love and joy.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.