SERVING CHRIST WITH THE HEART OF MARY AND THE HANDS OF MARTHA
16TH SUNDAY YEAR (C), 20TH JULY, 2025. HOMILY AT ST. FABIAN EFAB ESTATE, ABUJA. HOMILY BY I. A. KAIGAMA
READINGS: GENESIS 18:1–10A; COLOSSIANS 1:24–28; LUKE 10:38–42
THEME: SERVING CHRIST WITH THE HEART OF MARY AND THE HANDS OF MARTHA
I am delighted to be with you again, beloved parishioners of St. Fabian, Efab Estate. The last time I was here, it was on a sorrowful and sober note, during the requiem Mass, to pray for the happy repose of the soul of the father of your parish priest, Fr. Joterio, Late Mr. Lawrence E. Aghoja. Today, we are here on a joyful note, just as your Vice Chairman Pastoral Council promised during his speech at the requiem Mass. Today, we shall be conferring the sacrament of Confirmation on 216 of your parishioners. I also learnt that your parish priest is celebrating his silver jubilee of priesthood. Hearty congratulations to you, Fr. Joterio Aghoja, C.Ss.R.
Despite the negative things often associated with Nigeria, one thing we cannot deny is that in the traditional Nigerian society, we are a hospitable people. Even with the astronomical prices of foodstuffs and other essential items, people still share the little they have. Hospitality is a notable characteristic of our culture, but we are in danger of losing it today, considering the violence witnessed, conflicts between individuals, tribes, and religious adherents. We read in Scripture the examples of Elijah receiving hospitality from a poor widow of Zarephath (1Kg 17: 18) and Elisha being hosted by a wealthy Shunamite woman (cf. 2 Kings 4:8ff).
Our first reading presents us with the story of Abraham entertaining visitors who were total strangers to him. Without knowing it, Abraham welcomed God himself. This moment foreshadows the truth we hold dear in our faith: that every act of hospitality can become an encounter with the divine. As the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). Abraham’s story challenges us to ask: How do we welcome others in our daily lives? Do we see the stranger as our neighbour in need of help? Today, we are even afraid to help because the person being helped may turn out to be a criminal. We are, however, still urged to be hospitable. When we are hospitable to people, we are inviting Christ into our lives.
In the second reading, St. Paul speaks of his ministry as a service to the Church. Paul’s life was one of radical hospitality, not through physical food or shelter but through the gift of himself, sharing the Gospel with all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. His words remind us that hospitality is not limited to opening our homes to people. It extends to offering our time, our talents, and even our struggles for the sake of others. When we forgive someone who has hurt us, pray for those who are suffering, or work for justice, we are practicing a spiritual hospitality that reflects Christ’s self-giving love on the Cross. Paul’s sacrifices teach us that true hospitality often involves sacrifice, but it is through this sacrifice that we draw others closer to Christ.
Jesus, in today’s gospel, in responding to Martha’s complaint that she was left alone to serve, does not rebuke Martha for her service; rather, He gently redirects her focus: “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.” The point here is not about choosing between action and contemplation – it is about prioritizing intimacy with Christ as the wellspring of all our actions. We have to sit at the feet of the Master to draw strength for our actions.
Jesus, by his response, invites all to balance service with prayer (listening to the word of God). It is not about choosing between service of prayer, as if one is better than the other. Both Martha and Mary showed hospitality in their own ways. Martha’s service reflects the generosity of Abraham, while Mary’s attentive listening shows a deep desire to receive Jesus fully. Both of them are essential in that Martha’s work prefigures the corporal works of mercy which are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, the prisoners and burying the dead, while Mary’s listening prefigures the spiritual works of mercy, which include teaching the ignorant, counseling those in doubt, comforting the sorrowful, praying for the living and the dead.
Sometimes we have a whole lot to deal with, ranging from burdens at work and family to other responsibilities. These things often make us feel “troubled about many things.” The example of Mary serves as a salutary antidote to our noisy, restless, and hyperactive age that, in the words of the poet, T. S. Elliot, “brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness, knowledge of speech, but not of silence, knowledge of words, but ignorance of the world.”
Sometimes, like Martha, we become so engaged in religious, professional, or even family responsibilities that we forget the Person at the center of it all God.
Psalm 90:10 says, “Our span is seventy years, or eighty for those who are strong.” Life is short. And yet, some of us get so caught up in living that we forget the purpose of living. We work hard for those we love, but do we make time for those we love? We chase after material things, but do we pursue the things money cannot buy – like peace, joy, and eternal life?
Today’s gospel also speaks to us, priests and religious. In our ministries, there is the danger of being Marthas – busy with pastoral duties, administration, and endless meetings. But we must never forget to be Marys too. We cannot minister effectively without sitting first at the feet of the Master. We must serve with the hands of Martha, but also with the heart of Mary.
Today, the Lord invites us to choose “the better part.” Not to abandon our work, but to renew it with spiritual focus. To listen before we act. To pray before we serve. This is also a lesson for our political, traditional and all religious leaders, To be effective servant leaders we must have a perfect blend of working and praying, not to interrupt for long periods our paid work for the common good in the name of religion or to become too consumed in our work that we become too busy to pray. This is similar to what some civil servants or government employees do – they spend hours upon hours at the place of work but achieve very little in terms of productive service for the good of the people.
The worries of life, the anxieties of work, and the noise of the world can cloud our vision and steal our peace. We lose sight of our priorities. We get confused about what really matters. What do we do when this happens? Like Mary, we need to pause. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus in quiet prayer. Poustinia in every home is a necessity. Poustinia is a Russian word meaning a little room reserved in the house for prayer, meditation, and encountering God. The interior life – our prayer, silence, and time spent in communion with God is very important. We cannot be too busy, busier than God wants us to be! St. Benedict taught: ora et labora – pray and work.
The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is a time for everything.” There is a time to serve, and there is a time to sit and listen. Jesus is not asking us to abandon service or to sit idly. He is asking us to serve from a place of spiritual depth, not anxiety, having been nourished by Word and Sacraments.
Lord, help us not to get so involved in life that we forget why You gave us life. Help us not to be so busy that we forget to be with You. Teach us to serve You with the heart of Mary and the hands of Martha. Teach our political leaders especially, how to be busy serving the interests of the people in need and not their parochial and self-centered interests.
