Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for July 17, 2022 (Pentecost 6C)

First Reading (Track One): Amos 8:1-12

In last week’s Track One first reading we heard the prophet Amos angrily warn Israel’s king and high priest of the terrible fate that would befall them and their families if they continued to be unjust.

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary (c.1618), restored painting by Diego Velázquez (1599-1660). National Gallery, London.

This week, in verses immediately following that passage, we hear Amos recite a horrifying litany of curses that he says will fall upon the land whose rulers “trample the needy and bring to ruin the poor.” Let the land tremble and its people mourn as the sun goes dark and crops fail, the prophet warns. The people will hunger and thirst for God’s words as they do for food and water, but they will not find them.

First Reading (Track Two): Genesis 18:1-10a

In Sunday’s Track Two first reading the story of the chosen people begins. God, speaking through three mysterious strangers, comes to the patriarch Abraham by the oaks of Mamre. He greets these strangers with open hospitality far beyond their simple needs, killing a calf to prepare them a lavish meal. Then they reveal that he and his wife Sarah, despite their advanced age, will have a son. Later we learn that Abraham and Sarah’s offspring, as numerous as the stars, will inherit the Promised Land. Now, take your bible and turn the page. In next week’s reading, immediately following this example of gracious hospitality and its rewards, we’ll hear the story of Sodom’s failure of hospitality and the total destruction that it reaped.

Psalm: (Track One): Psalm 52

Psalm 52 harmonizes well with the prophecy of Amos: It angrily accuses an unnamed tyrant (perhaps, according to tradition, Doeg the Edomite, who conspired with Saul to kill King David) who “trusted in great wealth,” a liar who loved evil more than good. May God demolish the tyrant, the Psalmist shouts; wicked people who steal from the poor will fail, while those who trust in God’s eternal mercy will live in joy.

Psalm: (Track Two): Psalm 15

The Track Two first reading told of the beginning of God’s covenant with the people. Now Psalm 15 lays out the covenant’s fundamental premises: Who may come to the holy hill and reside in God’s tabernacle? We hear a long list of right actions: Do what is right. Don’t slander. Don’t do wrong to your friends or harm the innocent. These are simple commands. Although they may be difficult to live in full, they guide the people toward a life of righteousness.

Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-28

It is not always easy to decipher the sometimes dense prose of Paul and those who wrote letters in his name. It may help to recognize them as direct advice to a congregation – a sermon in letter form – blending both theological reflection and practical advice. After a theological meditation on Christ as image of the invisible God who made peace through his sacrifice, the author tells us that in becoming a servant of the gospel, he became a servant of the church. As a busy servant, he might remind us of Martha in Sunday’s Gospel, fretting and annoyed. But his call to reconcile ourselves to Christ and proclaim Christ’s supremacy might make us think of Mary sitting in awe at the feet of Jesus.

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

In last week’s reading from Luke, we heard the Good Samaritan story and reflected on who our neighbor really is. Today, the familiar story of Mary and Martha invites us to dig deeper into this central question of our faith. Who is the good neighbor here? Martha gets busy, cleaning the house, making dinner, making sure that everything is just right for Jesus’s visit. Mary doesn’t work at all. She chooses instead to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening, learning and loving. Martha’s work is important, but Mary makes time for Jesus. Could both women’s choices represent hospitality in separate ways?