Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Title

Hospitality to God, Hospitality for God

Outline

There is something in the human psyche that is directed towards hospitality

Maybe it is our need for community

But healthy humans are hospitable

I do not know that we do it well, but Judy and I like to receive people and to give them the best when we do

Jesus told us to receive the foreigner, the immigrant

And when a culture ceases to do so, it is starting to wither in sin, curvatus in se

Our passages are about hospitality

Abraham sees unknown men on the way, invites them in and sets the best food before them

Ancient Jewish exegesis tells us that this was his custom, and the custom of Job

It turns out that in doing so he has shown hospitality to God, just as Jesus tells us that when we show hospitality to immigrants we show hospitality to him

And in return God grants him two graces

The first is the unspoken, impossible, beyond hope grace of progeny through Sarah

The second (in the second half of the passage) is the continuation of passage is the salvation of his nephew and his family

Jesus shows up in his own town, Capernaum, and is greeted, not by the people, but by a centurion

The centurion is a foreigner, not one of Israel, but shows Jesus the hospitality of faith

He presents Jesus with his need

Then he recognizes that he is a foreigner, taboo, and presents his deep faith that Jesus could heal without becoming impure

He receives his request, for sure, and he receives a commendation for greater faith than Jesus’ own people, a downpayment on the coming of the gentiles, and a place at the table while Jesus’ people will be cast out

Sisters, this challenges us

We live in a country with a history of a lack of hospitality to foreigners and perceived foreigners (racial discrimination)

But we are from a country where the saints show hospitality

Where might we find someone in need and see in them the face of Jesus as Mother Theresa did?

But also where might we find someone seeking Jesus but feeling outcast and then bring that person to the hospitable Jesus, who will surely care for them?

When the angle came, Mary responded with hospitable acceptance and received Jesus within. And that unseen action enabled the salvation of the world

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 6-26-2021: Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Genesis 18:1–15

1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. 2 Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, 3 he said: “Sir, if it please you, do not go on past your servant. 4 Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest under the tree. 5 Now that you have come to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way.” “Very well,” they replied, “do as you have said.”

6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick, three measures of bran flour! Knead it and make bread.” 7 He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 Then he got some curds and milk, as well as the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them, waiting on them under the tree while they ate.

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There in the tent,” he replied. 10 One of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her menstrual periods. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself and said, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?” 13 But the LORD said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really bear a child, old as I am?’ 14 Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes, you did.”

Catholic Daily Readings 6-26-2021: Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Luke 1:54b

54 He has helped Israel his servant,

remembering his mercy,

PSALM

Luke 1:46–50, 53–55

46 And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;

behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

49 The Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 His mercy is from age to age

to those who fear him.

53 The hungry he has filled with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.

54 He has helped Israel his servant,

remembering his mercy,

55 according to his promise to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Catholic Daily Readings 6-26-2021: Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 8:17

17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:

“He took away our infirmities

and bore our diseases.”

GOSPEL

Matthew 8:5–17

5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour [his] servant was healed.

14 Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.

16 When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, 17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:

“He took away our infirmities

and bore our diseases.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 6-26-2021: Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 1 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Genesis 18:1–15

Response Luke 1:54b

Psalm Luke 1:46–50, 53–55

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 8:17

Gospel Matthew 8:5–17

GREEN or BLUE for BVM on Saturday