When we visit a place of pilgrimage, such as a shrine, a church, or an Adoration chapel, we often find ourselves praying with unusual intensity. It is not the place that gives the grace of the SPIRIT to pray more intensely. The prayer intensity is also due to our identification with those places as being in the presence of God. Thus, we feel a certain closeness to the divine.

The Gospel presents two sisters, Martha and Mary, depicting two individuals who are different in their disposition, which affects their beliefs and relationship with God. The contrasting images of the two sisters also make us reflect on our disposition and attitude toward people and the Lord.

The Gospel this Sunday is famously known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan saw the wounded stranger and treated him with mercy and compassion. The action of the Samaritan should be a way of life for every disciple, where everyone, especially those in need, is treated with kindness. “If we want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Once we overcome our indifference to our neighbor, we come up against another challenge: doing something to help those in need.

Today, the Gospel gives us a peek at the life of the earliest Christian disciples. From the twelve intimate disciples, Jesus expanded by choosing 72 others and sending them in pairs. The large number represents a wide circle of collaboration and scope of operation, eventually throughout the world. The sending in twos is consistent with the Jewish practice that only upon the word of two witnesses is a truth established. Disciples are sent not in their name or about themselves, but in God and His Kingdom.