Daily Readings - Tue Oct 06 2020

¹³For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.¹⁴I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.¹⁵But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased¹⁶to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.¹⁸Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.¹⁹I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother.²⁰I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.²¹Later I went to Syria and Cilicia.²²I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.²³They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."²⁴And they praised God because of me.

Luke

Chapter 10

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"⁴¹"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our priorities in life. The first reading from Galatians recounts St. Paul’s dramatic conversion and his call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Once a fierce persecutor of the Church, Paul was transformed by God’s grace and became a zealous missionary. His journey reminds us that God can take even the most unlikely person and use them for extraordinary purposes when they surrender to His will. The Gospel from Luke presents a different yet complementary scene: Martha and Mary welcoming Jesus into their home. While Martha is consumed by the busyness of serving, Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His words. Jesus gently reminds Martha that while service is good, it is more important to prioritize time with Him. These readings are connected by the theme of response to God’s call. Paul’s life was radically redirected by God’s grace, and he spent the rest of his days spreading the Good News. Similarly, Mary’s choice to listen to Jesus reflects her desire to prioritize the spiritual over the temporal. Both stories challenge us to examine how we respond to God’s presence in our lives. Are we like Martha, getting caught up in the distractions and anxieties of the world, or are we like Mary, seeking to deepen our relationship with God? As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: What is the “one thing necessary” in our lives? In a world that often values productivity and busyness, it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Like Mary, we are called to create space for prayer, reflection, and intimacy with God. And like Paul, we are called to trust in God’s grace and to share His love with others, even when it requires stepping out of our comfort zones. May we learn to balance our active lives with a deep inner stillness, remembering that it is in sitting at the feet of Jesus that we find true peace and purpose.