FR. OLMAN’S HOMILY

16 SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, CICLE C

The readings of the sixteenth Sunday of the year speak to us the paths we could follow in this world.  They speak of three paths.  One does not exclude completely the other.  One need not follow; one should not to follow one path to the exclusion to the other.  The three paths are:

1-   Service

2-   Contemplation

3-   Sufferings

The Lord might show us one path in preference to the other two.

1- First of all there is the path of service.  It was the path followed by Martha.  The Lord told Martha “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing”.  The Lord was not reproving Martha for her devoted attention to his material needs. Jesus was telling Martha that there was no need of worrying too much about preparing meal.  There is no need of fretting over it.  There was no need of giving her entire time to the preparation of an elaborate meal.  While she was fretting over her activity, she was missing something very precious witch Mary, on the other hand, was enjoying.

Martha was wasting time because she had lost the perspective in which all her activities must be viewed.  Having at least for the moment lost the Word of God, she has lost the true reason for her work.  Only one thing is ultimately needful.  That one thing is the word of God.

Service is necessary.  It is good.  But Martha was too much worried and distracted by many things.  God wants activity but we must no be too worried and distracted by it.  Even in our activity we should attend to one thing that is needful, that is, salvation of our soul, union with God.  Therefore as soon as a soul perceives that it is beginning to lose its interior calm, it should interrupt its work, if possible. At least for an instant, and retire into is interior self with God.  There brief moments of pause, frequently repeated will accustom it, little by little, to keep calm and recollected in God even in the most absorbing activity.

Jesus wants to teach us that social service alone is not sufficient.  It is possible to be distracted with much serving.  It is possible to lose one’s soul in the programmed of highly useful activity.  What people really need is Christ.  Only Christ can fully satisfy us.  Material things alone never satisfy anyone.  Time spend in prayer is never a waste.

2- The second path is the path of contemplation.  Mary stands out before us as a symbol and teacher of the contemplative life, particularly inspiring and helpful to a person consecrated to God.  Mary is set before us as our guide, example of a simple, intimate relationship with Jesus.   Mary walked with Jesus.  She listened to Jesus.  She accompanied Jesus.  Jesus was a guest in Mary’s house.  The Gospel do not tell us when it was that Mary first met Jesus.  One thing, however, seems to be certain.  Whatever might have been the time, place or occasion, that first meeting was decisive in Mary’s life; it made a lasting and ineffaceable impression on her youthful, sensitive nature. Mary unconditionally surrendered herself to Jesus.  She lovingly contemplated him.  She was totally open and docile to him.

We should imitate Mary when we hear Mass, receive Holy Communion and visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  We must listen to the Word of God.  We must be attentive in the presence of the Lord.  We must be wholly intent on the Lord speaking to us.  Mary listened to Jesus with her ears and eyes and drank in the words of life that fell from the lips of Jesus.  Jesus was pleased that he was heard and listened to. There was mutual communication.

Contemplation of course is not limited to the time of formal meeting with the Lord.  It filters throughout the day, the entire life becomes an elevation of the heart to God, a continual awareness of his presence.  Such a soul lives under God’s action. Is led by the Spirit and is moved by love.  It has learned the art of finding God in all things and has be come a contemplative in action.  This is the goal of contemplation.

Mary is a prayerful contemplative soul. The soul of contemplation is love and contemplation itself can be understood as a prolonged gaze inspired by love, sustained by love, and leading to deeds of love, which is turn enhance love and union.  Mary is the forerunner of innumerable humble, hidden, devote, loving souls whose contemplative life gladdens the heart of Jesus and draws down upon mankind countless number of graces.

3- The third path, the readings of today speaks of is the path of sufferings.  St Paul writes “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church”.  Pope john Paul  II writes “the redemptive sacrifice of Christ, which the Church celebrates in mystery, accords a particular value to suffering endured in union with the Lord Jesus.  The synod Fathers invited us never to forget that through the offering of sufferings, which are so frequent in human life, the Christian who is ill offers himself as a victim to God, in the image of Christ, who has consecrated himself for us all”  suffering has a sanctifying value, because it purifies sentiments. Transforms impulses and passions, detaches from the fleeting good of the world, elevates to the contemplation of our eternal destiny, triggers reflection on the fundamental values of Revelation and Redemption, helps us to value more highly sanctifying grace, makes us taste the immense joy of the Eucharistic presence of Christ, and consoles us with the thought of the Paradise which awaits us.

In the paschal mystery, victory comes through an apparent defeat.  Life conquers death.  Love triumphs over all forms of violence.  Forgiveness destroys sin.  The cross is the source of serenity and peace, of comfort and apostolic boldness..

Any of the three paths one may follow must lead us to union with God. Let us prepare ourselves to give hospitality to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, since in the liturgy God speaks to us and our offering of bread and wine are changed into his body and blood as our food and drink for eternal life.