OMELIE / Omelie EN

20 lug 2025

20/07/20258 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

20/07/20258 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

First reading Gen 18:1-10 from Psalm 14 Second reading Col 1:24-28 Gospel Lk 10:38-42

The first reading presents us with one of the most interesting and important moments in the life of Abraham. He had already had an encounter with the one almighty God, an encounter that ended with a mutual covenant. On that occasion, God asked him to leave behind his family, social and economic security in order to profess his faith in him with absolute freedom, without being influenced by the idols of other peoples; in return, he promised him numerous and blessed descendants.

Now, after many years during which his faith had been severely tested because he had never had a son, the same God came to him as a pilgrim. At first glance, this seems strange: Abraham sees three men standing by his tent; he then speaks to them as if they were one, and calls them “my Lord”. He then provides all the details of generous hospitality, committing himself, putting his wife to work to prepare fresh bread and his servants to prepare a good dish of tasty meat. Everyone is busy welcoming the “Lord”, present as a pilgrim. He, God, lets them do so and appreciates all their attentions.

His main concern, however, is to make himself known as the faithful God who keeps his promises. He wants to keep them even when it seems impossible to men. Sarah, Abraham's wife, even laughs at God's decision to finally fulfil his word. Sarah's laughter aptly describes all the perplexities and reproaches that we too are tempted to address to the Lord, as if he were capable only of doing what we are able to achieve with our intelligence and our strength.

The difference in the welcome offered to God by Abraham and Sarah also appears in the Gospel passage. The sisters Martha and Mary welcome Jesus, who is also on a journey to fulfil the promise of reconciliation between men and the Father. Martha offers an outward welcome, Mary an inward one. Jesus likes them both, but he does not like one judging the other.

When Martha complains about Mary and criticises the Lord himself, he intervenes. Martha's words resemble Sarah's laughter: she considers her own work and abilities necessary, while criticising her sister's total trust in Jesus. In response, he observes the difference in their attitudes: “You,” he says to Martha, “are worried and anxious about many things, and you judge and accuse; Mary has chosen the better part, the only thing that prepares for eternal life and makes it enjoyable. She is thus prepared to obey in order to carry out any task I may ask of her”.

St Paul learned the double lesson given to Sarah and Martha. He offers himself to proclaim the Gospel, to fulfil the Word of God and to offer it both in words and in the witness of his life. Provided that his witness is faithful and useful to the Church, he hopes and rejoices even “to complete what is lacking in his flesh to the sufferings of Christ, for the sake of his body, which is the Church”.

The apostle does not mind suffering; on the contrary, he boasts of the sufferings he has already endured for the Lord. His greatest love for men is to bring them the word that has been entrusted to him, the Word that he has loved and listened to attentively, so that he can bear witness to it with his life.

God had come to Abraham to be heard, not to eat. Jesus had entered Martha's house to be heard, not to refresh himself. Offering food is always welcome, and also important: it is a sign of true hospitality; but even more so is welcoming the Word: the one who speaks feels fully welcomed and feels free to ask for any favour, even difficult and burdensome ones, such as carrying a cross.