Hello!

Do you agree with Martha, or Mary?

Today's Gospel can start a lot of arguments. It seems to set up a clash between two opposite ways of living at home, and in the world.

Jesus is a guest in the home of two sisters who conduct themselves in completely opposite ways. While Martha is very busy taking care of all the chores of household hospitality, Mary is sitting quietly and simply listening to Jesus. Which one is doing the right thing? Is Mary lazy, or wise? Is Martha responsible, or too pre-occupied?

This issue mirrors a problem in the early Church, and maybe even at your house today. Some early Christians thought that they should spend their entire day in quiet study, peaceful contemplation, and silent prayer, while others thought everyone should be engaged in active ministry in the world. Who is right?

Jesus actually does not take sides but transcends both activities with a profound teaching, and a warning to both sides. Neither action nor contemplation are valid unless each is done as a calling from Our Lord, and He wants both, although usually from different people, and maybe even at different times.

God does not chastise Martha for being industrious. We know this because there are just too many other examples in the Gospels of Jesus asking His followers to be very active. He is concerned because of the nature of her request. Anytime our prayer begins with the words, "Lord, what you need to do is...." Well, those are not the words of someone responding to Our Lord but telling Him what to do!

Both Mary and Martha are called to be responsible, in the original meaning of that word; to act in a way that is a "response" to a calling from God. Both action and contemplation are appropriate if we respond to His call and not just what we think we should do. Discerning that calling means making a wise judgment, that is also confirmed by other wise and faith filled people.

We can certainly ask God for special intentions, such as  to heal a relative who is sick or ask for a better economy,  but our prayer should always end with the words Our Lord Himself spoke in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed the night before His crucifixion, "not my will, but yours be done!"

For those who are active, you cannot see Martha as your friend and Mary as your enemy, and for those who are contemplative, you cannot see Mary as your friend and Martha as your enemy. It all depends on what God has called you specifically to do that will help build the Kingdom of God.

  God bless!