Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Cyle I 21 July 2019

M artha is presented as a kind of foil to her sister Mary. While Martha is the “in charge” type, Mary is

contemplative, listening to Jesus. Their characters are also borne out in John’s Gospel. During dinner to

thank Jesus for raising their brother Lazarus back to life, Martha serves while Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly

perfumed oil (cf Jn 12:1-3).

In the culture of the time, Martha has reason to be disturbed. First, Mary leaves her alone with the serving.

Secondly, she is not supposed to be alone with a man (Jesus) in the living room (there is no mention of Lazarus

around to keep them company). Why does Mary sit at the Master’s feet? Does she want to be a rabbi someday?

There are no women-rabbis in Israel! Besides, what will the neighbours think when they see Jesus and Mary in a

“compromising” situation?

We can imagine Martha asking Jesus to lecture her sister on a woman’s place and proper behaviour. Instead,

Martha is the one who gets a lecture about “the one thing” that every human being should be concerned about,

which Mary has realised and chosen.

In truth, Jesus is most appreciative of Marth’s hospitality. He rebukes her with the gentlest of tones (“Martha,

Martha!”). But he has come not so much for Martha’s serving as for offering “food” that satisfies deeper human

longing: his word. He is relativising any kind of work for one thing that is most important. And this “one thing”

is listening to Jesus who speaks “words of eternal life.”

Spiritual directors invite us to ask ourselves when we become depressed after losing something important, “What

is that in the light of eternity?” The question declares with confidence that nothing truly good is forever lost

because it is in God. A person with the mind of Mary can declare with St Teresa of Avila “God alone suffices.”

Luke puts the story of Martha and Mary right after the parable of the Good Samaritan (cf Lk 10:29-37). The

parable teaches that we have to “go and do” what the Samaritan did, attending to our neighbour who is in need.

But Luke is also telling us that, as John Milton puts it, “they also serve who only stand and wait: - or “sit” in

attention - like Mary. Active service and contemplative listening are two complementary elements of our

Christian discipleship.

366 Days with the Lord Fr Gil Alinsangan SSP

The “One Thing” Necessary

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Nursing Home Mass

Mass and Anointing of the Sick will be

celebrated at Opal Nursing Home

Killarney Vale on Monday

22 July at 11am.

Worry & Fret

I t is a common enough tension in family life: the daily chores of cooking, cleaning

and laundry tend to fall to one person, most often a parent, and frequently the

mother of the family. How many women have found themselves hot and stressed in

the kitchen, listening to the happy laughter of guests, as they work away feeling left

out and overburdened? For one mother, at the end of such an evening of entertaining,

it was all too much. The guests had gone, and she sat down exhausted and burst into

tears. Angrily she regaled her family with what a hard evening she’d had: she just felt

like a servant to everyone else's enjoyment; she’d felt like no one cared about her or

wanted her around. “But Mum,” the eldest child tries to comfort her, “you know we

love you?” “I know you feel that and say it,” Mum replied, “but love is a doing word -

and I’ve been doing all evening on my own!”

Hospitality - opening our homes, and sharing our food with others - is a basic,

practical, bodily doing of love. It is this deeply human way of friendship that is at the

heart of the ways in which God comes to people in the scripture readings of today. For

Abraham and Sarah their hospitality to the mysterious visitors marks a turning point

in their lives, as the gift of the child they thought they’d never have is promised. A

whole people is born from this simple act of welcoming the strangers and tending to

their needs.

For Martha, however, the great gift of receiving Jesus into her home has a different

kind of blessing - one of challenge. The challenge comes from Jesus himself, and there’s

no getting away from it: far from feeling sorry for Martha’s stress and busyness, and

her sister’s apparent lack of sisterly concern, Jesus suggests that Martha is fussing

about too many things.

What are we to make of this challenge to Martha’s hospitable instincts and hard work?

It is a hard text; but perhaps Martha’s difficulty, as far as Jesus is concerned, is that she

is forgetting something that must lie at the heart of all our practical care. When we

cook for guests, when we welcome people into our homes and share a bit of our lives

with them, it is an act of practical loving, not a performance of our own expertise. The

danger is that it is the “stuff” of our caring that becomes the focus, rather than the

person we are loving through that stuff. A simpler meal offered with care, which

leaves room for the conversations of friendship, is more enabling of the doing of love

than the extravagant feast that leaves some people exhausted and resentful, and can

actually get in the way of real personal sharing.

Our world today is one where hospitality is a practice of love that is much needed.

Whether we look at our own cities and towns and the loneliness that is so often to be

found there, or further afield, to the refugees fleeing war and suffering, the many

thousands of displaced people of our time - wherever we look, there is a call to share

and befriend. This call is also a challenge, as it was for Martha. We are not called to

grand gestures or lavish actions that we can take some pride in as the giver or the

brilliant host. Rather, our giving is always, like Mary’s, to be centred on meeting the

person whom we welcome. We need to learn to sit still with those we are called to care

for, and listen to them, and let them know they are heard. Too often our fretting over

too many things, so as to “get it right,” gets in the way of loving; busyness is only

really Godly when it is a practice of love.

In the week ahead let’s recognise the moments of hospitality that are opened up to us:

buying a coffee for a workmate - and then spending some time chatting over it with

them; inviting someone new to our homes - and getting to know them better; giving

some food or money to the rough sleeper - and stopping to talk and listening to his or

her story. If our generosity keeps the love of that person central, these moments of

generosity will surely also be moments of meeting God.

God’s Word Redemptorist Publications

Beauty, Truth, Goodness

The Fundamentals of Catholicism Wednesdays

10:30-11:30am and 7-8pm.

Refreshments provided.

Bring a friend!

Come along on Monday 22 July to the Muldoon Room after 9am Mass for a nice morning tea, chat and a bit

of craft. All welcome!

Christian Meditation Group

We meet every Friday 10:30am - 11:30am in the

Muldoon Room. Come and share the gift of meditation.

We look forward to seeing you.

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Thank You

This week we would like to thank

Rita Malone and Maria De Sousa for their years of great work in our

Bereavement Team.

Thank you both!

Bible Study

Join Fr Kevin for a short Bible Study of the next Sunday’s

Gospel. Tuesdays in the Muldoon Room

after 9am Mass. All welcome!

Plenary Council National Themes

H ow is God calling us to be a Christ-centred Church in Australia that is open to

conversion, renewal and reform? This National Theme for Discernment is

inspired by the voices of the People of God who expressed a desire to do things

differently in response to Christ and the experience of our people, accepting that faith-

fulness to tradition requires change that is both personal and communal. Go to:

www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au

Week 8 Winners have been drawn:

1st Prize $50 No 89

2nd Prize $25 No 64

Well done winners and good luck next

week everyone!

Please Note Catechist Helpers Needed!

Catechist helpers are urgently needed. Please contact Leanne in the Parish Office if you

may be available 4332 2216.

Saturday Sessions with Katie - Fertility Awareness Education

Open to all, these sessions are ideal for single women or couples who would like to

learn to chart their fertility. This free course is a wonderful way to learn in a safe and

healthy environment. 1st Saturday of each month, Caroline Chisholm Centre, Pennant

Hills 10:30am-11:30am. Enquiries: katie.fulilove@bbcatholic.org.au

The Catholic Weekly

The latest Catholic News on sale on the information tables. $2 to the poor box please.

Children’s Liturgy

E xciting News…Children’s Liturgy is Back!

Starting from Sunday 28 July, children are invited to join our Youth Leaders for

Children’s Liturgy during 9.30am Mass. We will leave the Church at the beginning of

Mass and return at the Offertory. All children aged 3-12 are welcome. If you would like

to help with Children’s Liturgy, please contact Alicia Klein on 0412 677 964.

Celebrating God the Father of All Mankind

I n honour of God the Father of All Mankind we have a special celebration on the

first Saturday of August (3 August), with Mass at 9am followed by prayers and

consecration. There is also an eight day Octave in preparation for the celebration which

recommends daily Mass, the formal chaplet, a litany and meditation on a daily theme.

This Octave begins Saturday 27 July. (Booklets will be available on the Church tables.)

‘I make you a promise which will have an eternal effect. It is this: call me by the name

of Father, with confidence and love, and you will receive everything from this Father,

with love and mercy. Know that I wish to be known, loved and, above all, honoured.

May everyone recognise my infinite goodness towards all men, and especially towards

sinners, the sick, the dying, and all those who suffer.’

The Father Speaks to His Children Mother Ravasio Parish Morning Tea

The Ambrosian Family Group is hosting our

Parish Morning Tea this Sunday 21 July after

9:30am Mass. Come along to the

canteen for a cuppa and a chat.

Charitable Works Fund Appeal

T he next Charitable Works Fund (CWF) Appeal is being held on 3/4 August. The

CWF Appeal is the only Appeal that directly supports people in need in our

diocese, including Catechists, Pastoral Care Practitioners, and students with disabili-

ties. Please help support our Diocesan community by making a 100% tax deductible

donation to the CWF through the envelopes. For more information contact Liane Leslie

on 9847 0444 or the parish office.

Serving the Catholic Community of The Entrance and extending the Kingdom of God

PARISH PRIEST & DEAN Fr Bill Stevens ASSISTANT PRIEST Fr Vincent Varghese VC

SACRAMENTAL COORDINATOR Br John Verhoeven FSP

Office Hours Monday-Friday 9.30-5.00pm Tel 4332 2216 Fax 4333 5344

Postal Address PO Box 189 THE ENTRANCE 2261 Street Address 239-243 The Entrance Rd THE ENTRANCE 2261

Email info@ourladyoftherosary.org.au Website www.ourladyoftherosary.org.au

PROPERTY MANAGER Michael de la Motte Tel 4334 7600 (BH)

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PRIMARY SCHOOL Tel 4332 5594

ST PETER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE Tel 4351 2344 Fax 4351 2965

THE ENTRANCE PARISH DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY

Mass & Devotions in Ordinary Time Sunday Masses Saturday Vigil 6:00pm Sunday 8:00am & 9:30am

Weekday Masses Monday - Thursday 9:00am Friday 11:45am Saturday 9:00am

Reconciliations Saturdays 9:30-10am & 5-5:30pm

Liturgy of the Hours Saturday 8:40am Rosary Monday-Thursday 8:35am Friday 11:20am Saturday 9:30am

Cenacle Wednesday 9:30am Christian Meditation Group Friday 10:30am-11:30am Muldoon Room. Come & join us!

We have relocated the Gift Centre to the original Piety Stall in the Church foyer. You will still be able to buy all the lovely gifts and devotional materials, just in a more convenient and compact setting. Drop by soon!

Opening Hours:

Before and after the Masses Saturdays (Mass 6pm) & Sundays (Masses 8am & 9:30am) & during the week by appointment

4332 2216

Keep Us In Your Prayers There is no gift more precious than prayer - Fr Benedict Groeschel

Recently Deceased: Kevin Hughes, Ted Lintott, Marianne Golding, Greg Baker, Julia Nolan, Kath Ifield, Shirley Harkins, Heather Schumaker.

Funerals: The funerals of Kevin Hughes, Ted Lintott, Julia Nolan and Greg Baker were held here during the week. Please pray for them and their families.

Anniversaries: Josephine & Frank Ragonesi, John Donohue.

Remembrances: Bruce Parry, Vincent & Dorothy Cribb, Maurice Cramsie, Kathy Lowe-Scafidi, Bartolo Lucchese, Bernard Malone, Agnes Jackson, Sr Mary Bridgid Herbert and all the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Families: Cole, Attard.

Sick: Mary Maher, Tricia Bubb, Barry O’Neill, Kath Byrnes, Brian & Valerie Staggs, Chris Morley, Delma Clarke, Nick Hurst, Pam McDonald, Patrick & Lisa Hennessey, Anthony Morrell, Warren Beasley, Sr Jeannette Bubb, Ann Minogue, Janette Nolan-Cronin, Raymond & Tim Baker, Colleen Dunn, Genevieve Shedden, Patty O’Leary, Antoinette Grech, Linda Read, Kelly Will and those with long-term illnesses.

Welcome Newly Baptised: Isabella Calvi, Storm Bridge.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Genesis 18:1-10 Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42

Bushy Tales

Entrance Antiphon: See, I have God for my help. The Lord sustains my soul. I will sacrifice to you with willing heart, and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Responsorial Psalm: The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance. Alleluia!

Communion Antiphon: The Lord, the gracious, the merciful, has made a memorial of his wonders; he gives food to those who fear him.

Our Lady of the Rosary

GIFT CENTRE

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