Sunday July 17, 2022

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Jesus, Our Host and Guest

Feel at Home

Greeting (See Second Reading)

To us is proclaimed in this assembly
the mystery of God.
That mystery is Christ among us.
He speaks his word of wisdom to us.
May we listen to his words
and may Christ our Lord be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Jesus Our Host and Guest

How hospitable to people are we in reality? How many people are there about whom we say: I will never allow this person to set foot in my home? And when people are my guests, do I just fuss about them, stuffing them with all sorts of good things but having no time to listen to them? Let’s look at our host Jesus in this Eucharist and listen to what he says about hospitality.

Feel at Home

A hearty welcome to all of you on this Sunday of hospitality. It is surprising how poor people can often be hospitable to others. They offer their guests food and drink that they cannot afford for themselves. How hospitable are we to the guest, to the stranger? Let us open our doors and our hearts. It is perhaps Jesus himself who comes to your house. Be attentive to him. And remember how hospitable he is to us here in the Eucharist.

Penitential Act

Jesus, Our Host and Guest

We have failed to recognize the Lord
when he came to us in people as our guest:
Let us ask him to forgive us.
                        (pause)
Lord Jesus, do not allow us
to forget you in all the bustle:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, make us see it is you
whom we welcome when we receive guests:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, make us listen to you
when you speak to us through people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Touch us with your healing hand, Lord,
and forgive us all our sins.
Be our guest and companion
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that we may be hospitable
to God and to people
                        (pause)
Our loving God and Father,
you have invited us to stay with you,
to listen to the message of Jesus your Son
and to accept from him your peace and love.
May we welcome him wholeheartedly
and learn from him to welcome him too
in people who appeal to us
for forgiveness and a bit of warmth,
for patience and hope and joy.
Let them not pass your servants by.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

First Reading (Gen 18:1-10a): Lord, Do Not Pass Your Servant By

Abraham welcomes a stranger with the greatest hospitality, not knowing at first that he is receiving God. God gives Abraham more than Abraham could give God: the son of the promise.

Reading 1: Gen 18:1-10a

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre,
as he sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
"Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way."
The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said."

Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
"Quick, three measures of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls."
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before the three men;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.

They asked Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
He replied, "There in the tent."
One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

(1a) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
One who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Second Reading (Col 1:24-28): Become Perfect in Christ

Paul is glad to suffer for Christ, to make him known to all. He wants the Lord to dwell in all, that all may become perfect in Christ.

Reading 2: Col 1:24-28

Brothers and sisters:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his body, which is the church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God's stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Alleluia: Cf. Lk 8:15

Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 10:38-42): Mary Has Chosen the Better Part

Martha and Mary welcome Jesus in their home as a guest. While Martha is concerned about giving her guest all he needs, Mary is attentive to him as a person; she gives him her attention and receives his word.

Gospel: Lk 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."

Intercessions

Abraham welcomed three strangers and Martha and Mary were hospitable to the Lord. All of them were changed by their visitors. Let us pray that we too may be hospitable, and let us say: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

–          That the Church may be a hospitable home for all peoples and cultures and be enriched by them, let us pray: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

–          That we may learn to recognize the Lord in the features of a stranger and welcome him as we would receive the Lord himself, let us pray: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

–          That like Mary we may welcome eagerly the word the Lord speaks to us and pass on his good news to others, let us pray: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

–          That we may welcome the best of what our brothers and sisters give us, even before we share the best of ourselves with them, let us pray: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

–          That in this and in all Christian communities people may feel at home with one another and serve each other, let us pray: R/ Lord, make your home with us.

Lord our God, give each of us a heart attentive to you and a heart that hears what people try to say even when they do not speak. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Father, may we welcome Jesus your Son
in these offerings of bread and wine.
Open us to his word and his mentality.
Prepare us to welcome him in people
and to encounter him in their person,
even when he comes at another time
and in another way than we expect him.
Enrich us by giving to, and receiving from one another
your greatest gift to us,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

In the Eucharist Jesus is our host and he fills us as his guests with his strength and love. Let us praise and thank the Father for it.

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

With Jesus our Lord,
let us pray to our Father in heaven
that we may be open
to his will and his kingdom: R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us your peace in our day.
Keep us free from sin
and help us to make time for people,
to attend to them and to listen to them.
Protect us from all anxiety
as we prepare in joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion (Rev 3:20)

This is the Lord who says:
here I stand, knocking at the door.
If anyone of you hears me calling
and opens the door,
I will enter his house
and have supper with him
and he with me. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you have come among us in your Son
to be our guest.
In our everyday life,
may we always be open to anyone in need;
help us to recognize and welcome you
in everyone who comes to us.
In every human encounter
offer us your grace and love,
through Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives with you and stays with us
now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

In this Eucharist we have been

the Lord’s own guests.
He has been very hospitable to us,
listening to us, speaking to us
his warm words of friendship.
He sends us out now
to be both each other’s guests and hosts.
Welcome now the blessing of almighty God:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us go in the peace of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Commentary

Being at the Feet

Read:

Abraham plays host to the triune God. Paul speaks of the sufferings he has endured in order to preach the mystery of Christ. Jesus declares that being at his feet, listening to him is a higher vocation.

Reflect:

Bishop Pedro Casaldàliga was a fiery Claretian missionary bishop who cared for the indigenous people of Amazonian Brazil. When he died at the age of 92, the way his body was laid out in the casket was revealing: with naked feet and an open Bible kept just above them. They summed up his life: the feet that walked the earth, fired by the Word of God. Those specialized in alternative medicine tell us that every part of our body is represented on our feet. The feet carry the footprint of one’s soul. The worship of the feet is a ritual in many cultures. Mother Mary stood at the feet of the Crucified. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. What can be a greater vocation than sit at the feet of Christ, lean on him, fix the gaze on his face, and listen to his word! Indeed, both Marys chose the better part!

Pray:

Your prayer today is the act below.

Act:

Sit at the foot of the Cross, fix your gaze on the Crucified, and listen to him.

Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022;

written by Fr.Paulson Velyannoor, CMF

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