“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.’” (Lk 10:41-42)
It is not difficult to get lost in the daily distractions of life, the restless churning of our everyday routines: meals to cook, bills to pay, floors to mop, errands to run...the list goes on and on. If you are like me, a usual day would start with the alarm going off at around 5:00 am. From there, each minute is carefully calculated for every task and chore I have set out to do for that day.
It is not difficult to get lost in the daily distractions of life, the restless churning of our everyday routines: meals to cook, bills to pay, floors to mop, errands to run...the list goes on and on. If you are like me, a usual day would start with the alarm going off at around 5:00 am. From there, each minute is carefully calculated for every task and chore I have set out to do for that day.
Typically, a work day consists of 16-18 hours of commuting, office and house work. Unless I intentionally set aside the one hour of prayer and meditation, the day gets away from me, and I find myself asking for forgiveness from the Lord as I collapse into my bed late at night.
Like Martha, I start my day with the best of intentions, but somehow fall short. Even when I make a routine of going to mass daily, I find my mind wandering while at Mass to the list of things I have to do after I get out church.
In this passage, Jesus reminds us Marthas to slow down and be mindful of what is truly important: prayer and reflection on His Word, seeking God’s guidance, and pausing to hear His answer. In the quiet of the inner recesses of our hearts, the Lord is constantly speaking to us. But, we need to slow down, and silence the noise of our busy, task-filled days to hear His soft whispers.
“There is need of only one thing.” Jesus’ words reverberate in my heart. At once, I realize I am both Martha and Mary. There is something in me that compels me to serve, to be of action. Yet, my heart also longs to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus, listening, contemplating, praying.
I then realize that as a disciple, I am only able to achieve a happy balance through God’s grace. St. Teresa of Avila defines contemplation simply and succinctly. Let us listen...
“Contemplative prayer is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. ...We seek Him, because to desire Him is always the beginning of love, and we seek Him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of Him and to live in Him.”
May the Lord grant me the grace to hear Him in the busyness of my day, and to invest my time wisely that what I do at each moment reflects the treasure I hold in Jesus. Amen.
Like Martha, I start my day with the best of intentions, but somehow fall short. Even when I make a routine of going to mass daily, I find my mind wandering while at Mass to the list of things I have to do after I get out church.
In this passage, Jesus reminds us Marthas to slow down and be mindful of what is truly important: prayer and reflection on His Word, seeking God’s guidance, and pausing to hear His answer. In the quiet of the inner recesses of our hearts, the Lord is constantly speaking to us. But, we need to slow down, and silence the noise of our busy, task-filled days to hear His soft whispers.
“There is need of only one thing.” Jesus’ words reverberate in my heart. At once, I realize I am both Martha and Mary. There is something in me that compels me to serve, to be of action. Yet, my heart also longs to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus, listening, contemplating, praying.
I then realize that as a disciple, I am only able to achieve a happy balance through God’s grace. St. Teresa of Avila defines contemplation simply and succinctly. Let us listen...
“Contemplative prayer is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. ...We seek Him, because to desire Him is always the beginning of love, and we seek Him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of Him and to live in Him.”
May the Lord grant me the grace to hear Him in the busyness of my day, and to invest my time wisely that what I do at each moment reflects the treasure I hold in Jesus. Amen.