Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: October 8, 2024

Date: Tuesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Today’s gospel reading brings us the familiar account of Jesus’ encounter with Martha and her sister Mary. Martha busied herself with welcoming Jesus through the traditional means of hospitality. When she complained to Jesus about her sister Mary’s lack of help with those customary means of hospitality, Jesus opened up to her a second “hospitality” front she’d not realized, the interior hospitality of taking Christ into our minds and hearts.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I allow the “tasks” of the day, the “doing” of the day, to rob me of the opportunity of “being” with and for the LORD?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, I praise You for all You are, Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier. I give You thanks for all the goodness that is because of You and your love expressed and poured out. I ask for your help in opening myself to your illuminating and transformative love so that I might live into the one You created me to be, the disciple You call me to be, your temple here on earth. Grant that I may begin in things in You, that through You I may understand my purpose in this life for your glory and the good of my sisters and brothers, and that in You I may use all I have with love. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.