20201006 ONLY ONE THING IS NECESSARY
06 October, 2020, Tuesday, 27th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
Galatians 1:13-24 © |
God called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me
You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb,called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, and was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judaea, who had heard nothing except that their one-time persecutor was now preaching the faith he had previously tried to destroy; and they gave glory to God for me.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 138(139):1-3,13-15 © |
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
For it was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn15:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
Alleluia!
Or: | Lk11:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those
who hear the word of God
and keep it.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 10:38-42 © |
Martha works; Mary listens
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’
ONLY ONE THING IS NECESSARY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Galatians 1:13-24; Ps 139:1-3,13-15; Luke 10:38-42 ]
Today, the scripture readings show us how God called three different people in different ways to serve the Body of Christ and the building of the Kingdom of God. All of us are called differently and our response would be different as well. However, each one plays an important part in contributing to the mission of the Church. We might take different paths but always for the same mission and the love of our Lord and His people. The path we choose is immaterial because as St Paul says, the Lord has endowed us with different charisms and gifts. “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13) Indeed, “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Cor 2:7)
In the first reading, we read of St Paul’s utter conviction of his call to “preach the Good News about him to the pagans.” He was clear that this was what God wanted him to do. He received this calling uniquely and extraordinarily when he was on his way to Damascus to arrest the Jewish Christians. He was zealous as a Pharisee and a rabbi of Judaism. He thought he was doing the right thing to defend the Jewish faith and persecute those who apostatized. He wrote, “You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.”
However, the Lord changed his view and life radically by appearing to Him and revealing to Him His identity and gave Him a new mission. Such a powerful encounter left him blinded, dazed, and shocked. He heard the Lord speaking to him. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:5f) Then he knew that Jesus had a special mission for him. Ananias would have confirmed his mission, sharing how the Lord revealed to him His plans for Paul, then known as Saul, when he objected to welcoming him. However, the Lord said, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15f)
Indeed, Paul’s mission and calling was a direct call from the Lord, just as the Lord called His twelve apostles. Although Paul was not among the Twelve, his calling as an apostle was special and exceptional. Whilst the rest of the apostles had journeyed with the Lord in His earthly life, Paul did not know Him. But he received the special grace of revelation which gave him the authority to preach like the rest of the apostles. St Paul took pains to assert the divine authority and appointment that the Lord gave to him. “God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans.” He did not learn about Jesus through study or discussion with the other apostles. He made this point when he said, “I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord.” The calling of St Paul was truly extraordinary, exceptional, unique, and incomparable. And we know this also from hindsight when we examine how his ministry and dedication in his missionary trips had converted many, and his letters, more than Peter’s, still have a great impact on the Church today.
Some of us too might feel drawn to the work of explicit proclamation of the gospel through teaching or preaching. When the Lord calls, He will always equip us with the necessary talents and charisms to fulfill that role. We have many who like to teach and preach the gospel. Some have gone into full-time ministry and some have joined missionary organizations, whether lay, clerical or religious. Of course, not all feel adequate to proclaim the gospel, to discuss doctrinal, theological, and scriptural matters. If we find that God has put this passion in us to announce Him explicitly to the world, then like St Paul, we will find our place in God’s mission.
Nevertheless, for most people, we are more like Martha. We feel called to serve, whether in our community, religious organization, or the poor. Martha is an active type of personality. She feels her worthiness in providing service to others. Martha was happy to be of service to our Lord. She would take care of His needs, comforts, food, and ensured that He felt at home with them. She was attentive to the details because her goal was to make her guests feel loved and welcomed. So too many of us would feel inadequate to teach the gospel or explain the complex doctrines to others because we feel such matters are beyond us. That is why most Catholics are ready to offer their services to the Church, serving in ministries such as choir, wardens, Extraordinary Communion Ministers. Some are also called to exercise the ministry of healing, counselling and spiritual direction. But many feel more adequate in serving the poor and in humanitarian organizations because they feel that their human, natural and professional charisms could be used easily in these areas.
Yet, we must never think that those who are serving in the church ministries or humanitarian organizations are doing less than those who announce the gospel explicitly. Their services are valued as much. Through their humble and selfless service, they concretize the gospel in their lives. The proclamation of the gospel is not just in words but also in actions and deeds. It is through our kindness, humble service, generosity and compassion that we will move the hearts of people. We are the hands, feet and mouth of our Lord in showing them that God cares for them through us. So those serving the Church in such ministries are indispensable for the proclamation of the gospel.
There is still another way to share in the mission of Christ, which is through prayer and contemplation, and offering of one’s daily life, sacrifices and sufferings to the Lord for the building of His Church. Some of us might feel that we are not eloquent or intellectually gifted to preach and teach the Christian Faith. Some of us might feel inadequate or constrained by age and health to serve actively in the ministry or humanitarian organizations. It does not mean that they have no place in the mission of the Church. We could be called to a contemplative life of prayer. This was the calling of Mary in the gospel. “She sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking.” Listening, gazing and contemplating on the Lord is a charism. Those who receive this gift sometimes might join some contemplative order or organization that focus on prayer, meditation and contemplation. Even if we cannot pray because of illness and pain, what matters is that we unite our sufferings with that of Christ as St Paul wrote, “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.” (Col 1:24) Offering our sufferings especially our illnesses, our constraints, our limitations to the Lord for the gospel is itself a very powerful form of prayer and intercession. Indeed, we cannot underestimate the power of prayer, contemplation and suffering for the spread of the gospel. This was why the Lord praised Mary saying, “It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.”
In the final analysis, the Lord told Martha, “you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one.” What is this one thing? It is union with the Lord in all that we do and that is why whether we are actively proclaiming the gospel, teaching the faith, involved in missions, or serving in ministries and humanitarian works, or in contemplative life, we must direct everything outwards to the Church and the salvation of humanity.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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