16th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2025

 One of the most famous icons in Christian art is Rublev’s “The Trinity.” If you’ve ever seen it, you’ll recognize the scene: three angelic figures seated around a table. It’s a depiction of today’s first reading, where Abraham welcomes three mysterious visitors under the terebinth tree. But Rublev’s icon isn’t just about hospitality—it’s a theological window into the very heart of God.

The figures represent the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And here’s what’s striking: they’re seated in a gentle circle, with space at the front of the table. Art historians say that space is for you. The viewer. The guest. The one invited to join the divine conversation.

That’s what Abraham did. He made space for God. He offered food, water, rest. And in return, he received a promise: life where there had been barrenness. Hope where there had been waiting. God showed up.

Now flash forward to the Gospel. Another scene of hospitality—this time, Martha and Mary. Jesus enters their home. Martha springs into action—preparing, serving, busy. Mary? She sits. She listens. And Martha—understandably frustrated—asks Jesus to intervene.

What Jesus says is so gentle, and so important for our anxious age:

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one.”

Can’t you hear Jesus saying that to all of us today?

We are a people living with chronic anxiety. Some of it comes from very real stress—financial worries, health issues, division in our country, the pace of life. But some of it comes from within—from a fear that we’re not doing enough, not being enough, not keeping up.

Martha isn’t doing anything wrong—she’s serving the Lord! But she’s missing the presence of the Lord in her own living room. Like so many of us, she’s distracted, stretched thin, running on empty. And Jesus isn’t scolding her—he’s inviting her to a different way.

And Mary? Mary has chosen what Jesus calls “the better part”—not because she’s holier, but because she’s present. She’s made space. Like the open seat in Rublev’s icon, she’s saying, “Lord, I’m here. I’m listening.”

So what can we learn from these sisters?

• Martha teaches us to serve—but also reminds us to watch our interior life. When service becomes anxious or resentful, it’s time to pause.

• Mary teaches us to listen—because our worth isn’t in what we produce, but in who we are before God.

And together, they teach us that hospitality is not just about doing—it’s about being.

Let me suggest something concrete:
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stretched, take five minutes today—just five—and sit quietly. Say to the Lord, “I’m listening.” That’s it. No agenda. Just a little space at the table for God to enter in.

Because when we do that—when we make space for Him—God does what He always does:
He shows up.
He speaks.
And He gives us what we need most—not another task to complete, but a deep peace the world cannot give.