Today’s gospel is very challenging. Jesus says to Martha, you worry about so many things, there is need of only one thing. There is only one thing you have to worry about. Mary has chosen the better part. Mary has found it. After reading this story, we ask ourselves: What does Jesus want to say to Martha? What is Jesus telling us? Maybe we can learn something from Mary and Martha. All of us here, we have chosen the better part like Mary. That is why we gather here every Saturday and every Sunday to worship God. But sometimes we tend to be like Martha.
In this point, let me tell you a story. It’s about a wonderful priest. Very active. He spent most his time and energy building a beautiful Church, a nice rectory, big parish hall, Chapel, parking lot. Everything was so nice. It was not long when his Bishop decided to transfer him to another parish. During his send off party, an elderly woman asked to be given just a few minutes to appreciate their priest. She began saying: Our dear pastor, we shall certainly miss you and the works you have done. Since you have came here, you have built a fine church building, rectory, good chapel…….but you did not build spiritual lives. I wish in your new parish you will pay more attention to building the spiritual lives of your parishioners. Thank you Father, we wish you a wonderful ministry in your new parish. Everyone clapped for her and she walked away. Of course she passed the message. And the priest received it with mixed feeling: to cry or to laugh.
The message is simple, he misplaced his priority. Most Christian people have misplaced their priorities which is first to welcome Jesus Christ every day into our lives, to make Him a permanent friend, to listen to Him, and to do his will. We live in busy world. And many Christians are distracted today with the social and material activities and they neglect their spiritual life. This is the situation we read in today’s gospel. Mary is listening to Jesus because He came to visit them. He brought them some good news. He is talking to them. Martha, on the contrary, is worried and distracted, cleaning the house, preparing the food for Jesus and the guests. She wants to honor Jesus with good physical food. She is busy working. She has no time to listen, to pay attention to Jesus. The most important thing for her was to get the food ready. What she is doing is good. Someone needs to cook. But there is a special guest in your home.
The Lord came to her house and for her. She must pay attention to and listen to the message he brought. That is why, Jesus says to her, Martha, Martha, you worry about so many things, there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part. So Jesus is telling Martha that what she is doing is great, serving, taking care of the guests. But this is not the time for that, it is not time for material needs. There is something more important: the visit of Jesus and his message. She misplaced the priorities. And Jesus is reminding Martha that it is not enough to welcome Him in her house, she also has to pay attention to what he has to say first and then go ahead to take care of material things later. That is why Jesus says : Mary is the one who has chosen the better part. Because Mary was listening to Him. So Jesus wanted and asked Martha to look first at what is the most important: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Nowadays many of us, we see ourselves in Martha. Because there are many things that distract us to listen to God and pay attention and make time for God. Maybe we are so much attached to our business, our job, our activities that we don’t have time to pray, to attend Mass or to give God our attention. Maybe my computer, my TV, internet, electronic devices distract me to make time for God, to read the Scripture and to pray. Even in the Church, during the Eucharist, some people bring their phones. In this point, we have to ask ourselves: how many hours we spend with computer or watching TV and how often we read the Scripture ? Maybe my distraction is shopping, sport or music. Everyone can make his own list of distractions and work on them.
My brothers and sisters, this story of Mary and Martha tells us that, if we really love God with all our hearts, will all our mind, and with all our souls, we should make time for Him. I encourage you to take 10 minutes every day for meditation, silent prayer or for a spiritual book. In doing so, you will be amazed to realize how much God speaks to us not only on Sunday Mass but in daily Mass, and adoration, how much God comes to visit us, how much God blesses us or gives us His love. Both material and temporal are good but when attended to in their right order. Jesus is not against material needs. Jesus is not against jobs. We need to work to support families, to pay the bills….. What Jesus is against is when we put the material things over and above of spiritual ones. Working, having material goods should not make us excuse to make time for God. The message is very simple: we are called to love God like Mary. And love our neighbor like Martha.
