Today's readings contain a lot. It's one of those Sundays when perhaps the readings are too rich, too deep, too full. Both the Old Testament reading and the Gospel feature a meal. Both feature service and preparation of the meal. Of course, since it is the source and summit of our faith, this quite naturally and rightly prompts some thoughts about the Eucharist.
In our Gospel, the one serving complains to the Lord about her sister who is just sitting there, listening to Him. Jesus gives a beautiful "No" to Martha's request that He tell Mary to get up and go help her. He says no by pointing out that Mary has chosen the better thing to do and that He won't deprive her of it. In other words, He isn't going to tell Mary "Get up and go help your sister." Prayer and contemplation matter greatly.
Christian worship and service should be rooted in prayer and contemplation. The fact prayer and contemplation are often not the wellspring of liturgy and ministry is as obvious as it is sad. The Lord Himself gives us the priority. Wheher you're comfortable with it or not, the Lord calls you to have deeply personal relationship with Him.
Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, Johannes Vermeer, 1655
By the very nature of our vocation, deacons are Marthas. In fact, both times the word "serving" appears in verse 40 of the tenth chapter of Luke, it is a translation of the Greek verb meaning "to deacon," that is, "to serve" (first diakonian- literally Martha was "pulled about through service" and diakonein- literally her sister "left" Martha to be the only one "serving").
It's easy when serving as deacon of the Mass to get caught up in what needs to be done, ensuring what needs to happen happens when its supporse to happen, etc., while trying to stay a step ahead. Even so, how a deacon moves, when he moves, the body labguage of his movement should reflect a genuine diaconal spirituality, which, like any genuinely Christian spiriuality, must be rooted in prayer.
Because we live a culture and society that values doing over being all of us Marthas virtually all the time. This is one reason why the practice of lectio divina is vitally important. For deacons, along with Liturgy of the Hours, the Holy Rosary, and the Examen, lectio divina is a vital spirtual discipline.
In my view, especially reflecting on Eucharist and prayer, the key phrase from today's readings is found neither in the Gospel nor in the reading Genesis, Rather, it is found in our reading from Colossians: "Christ in you." Not only is Christ in you (in me) "the hope for glory," it is "the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past." It is this mystery all Christians are called to reveal through our lives.
Christ comes to be in you (in me) by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is precisely why Jesus ascended and then sent the Spirit. Otherwise, He could be close to you but not in you. Before the Lord comes to be present in you through your reception of the Holy Communion, He makes Himself present in you aurally by the proclamation of Sacred Scripture. The Word is to become flesh in and through you and me. This is what makes the Church Christ's Body.
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