17 July 2016
16th Sunday in Ordinary
Time, Year C
For over a century now, since Saint Pius X in 1903, the
Church has been trying to foster “conscious and active participation” in the
Mass. When Pope Pius XII looked out into
the pews in the mid-1950s, he characterized the people sitting there as “dumb
and silent spectators.” And he wasn’t
being uncharitable; by “dumb” he meant that people weren’t focused at all on
what was happening. Today we would say
they were “disengaged.”
But with the Second Vatican Council in 1963, the push for
“fully conscious and active participation” in the Mass was ramped up even
more. And many people took that idea and
ran with it. And so today, if we ask
what the ideal parish and worship should look like, we’ll often hear words
like: “engaging,” “exciting,” “joyful,” “vibrant,” and “alive.”
And this goes for everything:
worship and music, social justice, the parish office, hospitality, the
buildings, religious education, community life, and so on. The ideal parish today is a “vibrant” parish—literally,
a parish that “vibrates” with the activity of God, and is vibrant to the point
of being “a guiding light” in the world.
Of course, that reflects the missionary nature of the Church; we’re not
meant to sit still; we’re meant to be on the move and busy with the Lord’s
work.
And so, it’s strange that Jesus commended Mary for “just
sitting there,” while Martha was chastised for her “buzyness.” I mean, she wasn’t busy doing nothing; she
was busy trying to be a good housekeeper, a good hostess for her guest. She was going over and above the usual to be
a truly hospitable and welcoming person.
But all she got for her efforts was a lecture, while Mary got the
praise.
I remember several years ago I went to the Chrism Mass up at
the cathedral (that’s the Mass where the bishop blessings the Holy Oils for the
next year). And it’s a unique Mass
because people from all over the diocese come to it. But that particular year was the first time
they’d started to say the Rosary together before Mass. The problem was that, up until that year,
people had been encouraged to visit before Mass, and to reconnect with people
from other parts of the diocese.
And so there was something of a “showdown” in the cathedral
that day. Half the people were praying
the rosary, and the other half were trying to socialize. And I’d hear people around me say things
like: “Look at them trying to pray the Rosary;” or “This is a time for
community, not a time for the Rosary.”
And it was a rather uncomfortable time there before Mass. Maybe that’s how it was at Martha and Mary’s
house.
Martha was getting all upset because Mary decided it was more
important to just sit there, instead of being busy with hospitality and
welcoming. To be busy welcoming, or to just
sit there—that was the question
in the cathedral, and also at Martha and Mary’s home. To be “vibrant” or to “just sit there”—that
is the question in parish life, and in the Mass.
But, as I said, the ideal parish and its worship are often
described as: “engaging,” “exciting,” “joyful,” “vibrant,” and “alive.” So, really there doesn’t seem to be much of a
question. No sitting around, just
“sitting there.”
About a year and a half ago I did an informal study of all
the parish mission statements in the diocese.
And every parish—100% of them—sees apostolic work and ministry as part
of their mission. Every parish hears
Jesus’ call to “go, make disciples of all nations.” Every parish is interested in being
hospitable and welcoming, sharing the gospel, and inviting others to be part of
the Catholic faith.
But of that 100%, a full 80% see that as their only mission—according to their mission
statements. In other words, what
characterizes the Catholic parish today is the buzyness of Martha; the
“vibrancy” of doing the Lord’s work in the parish and out in the world, getting
people “engaged” with the life of the parish and the work of God.
And so, while there may not be much of a question in our
minds of whether to be “vibrant” or to “just sit there” as a parish, maybe
Jesus is saying that there should be
the question.
“Martha, Martha . . . you have literally worked yourself into
an uproar, over many things. But Mary
has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.” Jesus loves Martha. And he even appreciates the work she
does. But it’s the intensity and the
wide scope of her activity that makes him concerned. Martha isn’t neurotic; she’s just overly busy—she’s overly busy about too many
things. In all her efforts to be
welcoming and hospitable, she neglects to welcome . . . the guest. Of course, that’s where Mary succeeded.
If we want to be hospitable and welcoming, then spend time
with the guest. Welcome the guest—and
not on our terms, but on their terms. Welcome
the guest as he or she is, and as he
or she desires to be welcomed. And that
goes for God as well. If we want to
welcome God into our lives, then we have to spend time with him; simply and on
his terms.
In the story of Abraham and Sarah today, God comes to them in
the form of three angels/men. And, while
Abraham has to do a few tasks (get some food made, and prepare a place to eat),
his focus is on his guest. He isn’t
concerned with trying to put his best dinnerware out, or getting dressed up; he
doesn’t even have a fancy place to eat—they just eat under a tree. He’s only concerned with getting the food
there so that he can spend time with
his guest. And that’s all his guest
wants—to spend time with Abraham (and Sarah, too).
And that’s what God wants of us, too. We build churches, we build communities of
faith, and we welcome God to come and dwell among us. We take God “under our roof” as our guest. But when that happens, our life revolves
around the guest. And I imagine most of us know that. When we have somebody over to the house, we
don’t just ignore them. No, we change
our patterns and our habits to accommodate the guest.
Well, when Jesus comes into our home, into our hearts and
minds, into our parish, our life revolves around him. That’s the price and the joy of opening our
doors to the Lord. And Mary knew that
joy. As soon as Jesus walked in the
door, there she was at his feet. That’s
how Jesus wanted to be welcomed. Of
course, Martha was being hospitable and welcoming, but it was on her terms, not on Jesus’. And so, she never really welcomed him; she
was too busy telling Jesus how he was
going to be welcomed. He was going
to be welcomed with a sumptuous feast and the finest Martha had to offer. But that’s not what Jesus wanted; he just
wanted her.
And so, while there may not be much of a question in our
minds of whether to be “vibrant” or to “just sit there” as a parish, maybe
Jesus is saying that there should be
the question. Because, of course, “just
sitting there” isn’t “just sitting there;” it’s sitting at the feet of Jesus
and welcoming him into our lives.
For over a century now, the Church has tried to nurture
“conscious and active participation” in Mass (which should spill over into our
lives). When I look out and see the
congregation, I see people looking at me; I see people sitting and standing,
kneeling; giving the Sign of Peace, singing, saying Amen and Our Father. I see all that.
But are you “consciously and actively participating” in the
Mass? I don’t know. I can’t tell by looking at you; because that
kind of “participation” isn’t necessarily energetic, vibrant and busy. What we participate in here is an intimate
sharing; the kind there is between Jesus and Mary. Among other things, we participate in a
mutual welcoming: God welcomes us to hear him speak and to taste his Body and
Blood; and we welcome him by simply saying yes to that.
And so, are you welcoming the Lord “under your roof?” Are you participating in what happens at
Mass? I don’t know. But if we’re not, we’re in a good position to
start. We’re already sitting here at the
feet of God. All that’s left is to say:
“Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
That’s the best welcome we can give to our guest: “Speak Lord, your servant
is listening.”
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