Pentecost 6 (year C proper 11)- Luke 10:38-42

The Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost is from Luke 10:38-42, and it deals with the differing attitudes of Martha and Mary of Bethany. These two women and their brother Lazarus were Judean friends and followers of Jesus, and the Gospels show them receiving Him into their home on more than one occasion. This short account adds an important detail. The house actually belongs to Martha, and she is concerned about being a good hostess. Her presumably younger sister Mary is more relaxed, and she takes the time to sit at Jesus' feet and learn from His teaching.

Both women are doing good things, but Mary has chosen the good portion. She has a better attitude and higher priorities. Hard work and social duty have some value. Feeding guests is a good deed. Physical and material concerns are valid in earthly life. Yet, we must subordinate such matters to higher values. Sometimes, we need to place such external deeds on pause while we relax and pursue spiritual matters. In all our busyness, let us calm down and spend more time with Jesus!

Pentecost 4 (year C)- Luke 10:1-20

The Gospel for this Fourth Sunday after Pentecost is the account of the sending forth of the Seventy (or seventy-two in some manuscripts) in Luke 10:1-20. Most often, when we think of Jesus' followers in the New Testament, we focus on the Twelve. The Twelve were certainly important, but we always need to remember that others were involved in the Christian mission from the beginning.

The general mission of the Seventy is to prepare localities for the personal ministry of Jesus. This general mission has several facets. These disciples travel lightly and share the message of God's peace through acts of kindness and preaching the good news of the kingdom. Yet, the seventy disciples are also warned not to expect universal success. Some people and some places will not be open to Christ and His message. In such situations, the disciples are not to waste their time and energy. Rather, they are to warn people of the dangers of rejecting Christ and move on to minister elsewhere.

The situation of contemporary Christians is much like that of the Seventy. We still try to prepare people to receive Jesus Christ. We fulfill this mission through deeds of mercy and talking of our religious faith in Christ and His kingdom. But we also recognize that not everyone will be open to the Gospel. So at times, we must simply warn people of spiritual danger and move on. Finally, as Christ tells the disciples in Luke 10:20, let us not rejoice in the external successes of our ministry, "but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven."