Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Catholic Meditation “The Word among Us” for Tuesday, 29 July 2014Meditations: Luke 10: Mary and Martha
38-40 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”
41-42 The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”
Saint Martha
Martha, Martha. (Luke 10:41)
Most likely, Martha was already busy with her everyday chores when Jesus and the disciples arrived, but she cared too much to leave these travelers unattended. She just taxed herself even more. So when Martha snapped at Jesus for letting Mary sit at his feet while she slaved away, it was probably because she was already stressed out. Jesus knew this, and he didn’t mind. He loved Martha. He accepted her with all of her strengths and weaknesses. And with patience and gentleness, he spoke to her, aproned and anxious as she was, and challenged her to take a different view of Mary’s actions.
The issues weighing on Martha were important. But they did not eclipse the most important item: a relationship with God. All the things that Martha focused on needed to be done. But Martha was still learning that time spent in Jesus’ presence often brings the peace and clarity we need to accomplish necessary tasks more quickly and efficiently. Jesus didn’t fault her for not knowing that, but he did point it out in a way that she could hear and understand.
This is how Jesus deals with us as well: one step at a time. He gives us only as much as we can digest at once, even though it can sometimes feel as though we have swallowed an ice cube whole! Jesus takes us where we are and tries to move us one step closer to his vision for us. He isn’t put off by our lack of understanding, frustrations, or other weaknesses. He isn’t even upset when we chide him!
Jesus loves you just as much as he loved Martha. And with the same gentle, patient acceptance, he wants to meet you as you are, warts and all. He longs to draw you more deeply into his heart and life. You can trust that he will tell you the truth: about what’s important, about what needs to be done, about yourself. And as you choose to spend time in his presence, he will deepen your understanding of the life he calls you to. He will strengthen your faith and fill you with more of his love.
“Jesus, I want to love you and the people around me more deeply. I commit myself to sitting with you to learn how best I can do that.” Amen!
Jeremiah 14:17-18 “And you, Jeremiah, will say this to them:
“‘My eyes pour out tears.
Day and night, the tears never quit.
My dear, dear people are battered and bruised,
hopelessly and cruelly wounded.
I walk out into the fields,
shocked by the killing fields strewn with corpses.
I walk into the city,
shocked by the sight of starving bodies.
And I watch the preachers and priests
going about their business as if nothing’s happened!’”
19-22 God, have you said your final No to Judah?
Can you simply not stand Zion any longer?
If not, why have you treated us like this,
beaten us nearly to death?
We hoped for peace—
nothing good came from it;
We looked for healing—
and got kicked in the stomach.
We admit, O God, how badly we’ve lived,
and our ancestors, how bad they were.
We’ve sinned, they’ve sinned,
we’ve all sinned against you!
Your reputation is at stake! Don’t quit on us!
Don’t walk out and abandon your glorious Temple!
Remember your covenant.
Don’t break faith with us!
Can the no-gods of the godless nations cause rain?
Can the sky water the earth by itself?
You’re the one, O God, who does this.
So you’re the one for whom we wait.
You made it all,
you do it all.
Psalm 79:8-10 Don’t blame us for the sins of our parents.
Hurry up and help us; we’re at the end of our rope.
You’re famous for helping; God, give us a break.
Your reputation is on the line.
Pull us out of this mess, forgive us our sins—
do what you’re famous for doing!
Don’t let the heathen get by with their sneers:
“Where’s your God? Is he out to lunch?”
Go public and show the godless world
that they can’t kill your servants and get by with it.
11-13 Give groaning prisoners a hearing;
pardon those on death row from their doom—you can do it!
Give our jeering neighbors what they’ve got coming to them;
let their God-taunts boomerang and knock them flat.
Then we, your people, the ones you love and care for,
will thank you over and over and over.
We’ll tell everyone we meet
how wonderful you are, how praiseworthy you are!
John 11:17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
21-22 Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”
23 Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.”
24 Martha replied, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time.”
25-26 “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world.” (Alternate Gospel Reading)
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