Lord of all, of church and kingdom,
In an age of change and doubt,
Keep us faithful to the Gospel,
Help us work your purpose out:
Here, in this day's dedication,
All we have to give, receive;
We who cannot live without you,
We adore you!  We believe!

After morning prayer, Patty Bowman led us in breaking open the scripture.  We focused on the familiar story of Martha and Mary from Luke's Gospel:

As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

What does this Gospel story have to teach us about hospitality?  How do we welcome Christ in others?

We broke into small groups and meditated on the Gospel.  These are the questions which helped to get us talking:

• With whom do you identify in this story?  Do you identify yourself as more "active" or more "contemplative"?  What does it mean to "choose the better part"?

• Do you ever feel "burdened with much serving"?  Do the details and tasks of serving ever cause "anxiety and worry"?  Do the tasks of serving ever get in the way of "choosing the better part"?  Can even our attempts to minister to others become a distraction to creating a hospitable space for God?

• What steps can we take to be both better hosts and better guests?  Even in the midst of our liturgical ministries, how can we make sure that we are here to pray?
   

To Build the Church of Christ
by Bishop Guy Deroubaix, Bishop of St.-Denis, France, 1993

We love our Church with her limitations and her riches,
for she is our Mother.
That is why we respect her, at the same time dreaming
that she can always become more beautiful.

A Church where it is good to live, where one can breathe,
say what one thinks, a Church of freedom.

A Church that listens before it speaks, that welcomes
before it judges, that forgives without wishing to condemn,
which announces more than it denounces.  A Church of mercy.

A Church where the simplest of her members understands
what the other says, where the wisest of leaders
knows that he doesn't know,
where the whole people is gathered.  A Church of wisdom.

A Church where the Holy Spirit feels at home
because everything has not been foreseen, ordered,
and decided in advance.  An open Church.

A Church where teh daring to do something new
is stronger than the habit of doing what has been done before.

A Church where one can pray in one's own language,
express one's culture, and live with one's history.

A Church of which people will say not
"see how organized they are" but "see how they love one another."

Church of Saint-Denis, Church of the suburbs,
of the streets and the cities, you are still small,
but you are growing.
You are still fragile, but you hope.
Lift up your head and see:  the Lord is with you.