Daily Readings - Tue Oct 04 2022

¹³For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.¹⁴And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.¹⁵But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,¹⁶was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.¹⁹But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.²⁰(In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)²¹Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.²²And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.²³They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."²⁴And they glorified God because of me.

Luke

Chapter 10

³⁸Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."⁴¹But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,⁴²but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the call of God and the importance of prioritizing our relationship with Him. In the first reading from Galatians, Paul shares his personal journey of conversion and mission. Once a fierce persecutor of the Church, he was transformed by God’s grace and called to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul’s story reminds us that God can take even the most unlikely person and use them for His purposes. His journey took him from persecution to proclamation, and he trusted in God’s plan rather than relying on human approval or understanding. In the Gospel, Luke presents us with the familiar story of Martha and Mary. Martha, busy with hospitality, feels overwhelmed and distracted by the tasks at hand, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His word. Jesus gently reminds Martha that while her service is good, it is Mary who has chosen the “better portion.” This passage is not about condemning hard work or service but about highlighting the necessity of prioritizing our spiritual life. Just as Mary chose to focus on Jesus, we too must create space in our lives to listen to God’s voice and deepen our relationship with Him. These readings encourage us to examine our own lives. Like Paul, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when it takes us on unexpected paths. Like Mary, we are called to prioritize the one thing necessary—our relationship with Jesus. In a world filled with distractions and demands, it is easy to become like Martha, anxious and troubled. But Jesus reminds us that true peace and fulfillment come from sitting at His feet and listening to His word. Let us strive to balance our active lives with moments of stillness and prayer, trusting that God will guide us in all we do.