A Midsummer's Reflection Series

Friday, June 19, 2026

Meditation 19: Luke 10:38-42

Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), Arles, January 1889

Perhaps one of the most famous examples of hospitality in the Bible is when Jesus visits Martha and her sister Mary, the sisters of Lazarus (John 11:1-2 and 5), in Luke 10:38-42. 

Much has been written about Martha’s complaint and Jesus’ response praising Mary, in terms of the distinctions between the active and contemplative life, and in describing the importance of practicing the presence of God. At some level, however, both Martha and Mary were exemplifying Christian hospitality, each in their own way. Martha and Mary both invited Jesus into their home.

Martha lived hospitality by actively serving Jesus; as host, Martha strove to meet the needs of her guest, Jesus. The text does say Martha was “distracted,” and she, perhaps rightly, complained that all the serving was left to her. We could speculate that perhaps some of the serving could have been left for later, when both Martha and Mary could have cooperated in the work of service, but Our Lord highlighted Mary’s sitting at His feet and her attentive listening to His teaching (10:39 and 42).  

Mary, in her own way, was also extending hospitality to Jesus, precisely in the act of listening to Him. When we have guests who speak, it is an important act of hospitality, and of charity, to listen to them. This is true of anyone we meet, and not merely of the guests who enter our homes. Listening attentively to others is an important act of charity. Charity demands both listening to and making a real attempt at understanding others. There’s a little twist in this story: Jesus is not just any guest; He is the Lord. He is teaching and preaching precisely what His audience needs to hear. Thus, Jesus does not need to be heard for His own sake, but, rather, those who are listening to Him need to hear His message. 

Help us, O Lord, extend the hospitality of listening to others, and help make them feel heard, understood, and worthy of our attention. Help us also be attentive to your voice, so that we are able to hear the messages that we need to hear. 

Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ph.D. is a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Director of the St. Paul Studies Center at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He spent 15 years as a professor of theology at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. In his final year in that role, Dr. Morrow worked on the Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, writing these reflections on Scripture through a lens of hospitality. 

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