16th Sunday - Mary Has Chosen the Better Part

 

What is most important in your life? Doing secular activities with our family members is important. But doing spiritual activities with our family at the feet of Jesus is most important.

In the first reading, we have a glimpse of what kind of priority was given to guests. Abraham notices three men walking past his tent; he runs over to them and asks them to stay. He prepares a meal for them, provides some water for their feet and shade so they can rest and enjoy their meal. As we hear about Abraham running around to get everything ready, we have to remember he was ninety-nine years old at the time.

In our day, if someone stops by unexpectedly, we usually ask them if they want something to drink such as water or coffee or a beer, or maybe a snack. In the case of Abraham, we heard about him making rolls, slaughtering a calf, and preparing it, which would require a substantial amount of time before they could be served.

With this as part of the cultural norm, Jesus would certainly not have chastised Martha for her acts of charity. Instead, He is reminding Martha, that good deeds are pleasing to God, but to just be with God is most pleasing to Him. Jesus also wanted Martha to know Mary wasn’t doing anything wrong, and in fact it was pleasing to Him that she just be with Him.

Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and began to prepare the meal. However, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him. Sitting at someone’s feet, was the traditional position a student would take listening to the teacher. It is very obvious Jesus is teaching Mary and she is his student devoted to him.

Martha, like Abraham in the first reading is providing the hospitality by preparing a meal for Jesus, which is an act of love for Him. However, Martha is so busy that even though she welcomed Jesus into her home, she doesn’t even have time for Him now. Not only is she too busy to spend time with Jesus, but she even tries to boss Jesus, and tell Him what He should do: “Tell [my sister] to help me.” She is obviously far too busy, too busy to spend time with Jesus and that busyness has warped her thinking and now she is even bossing God around! Jesus’ response was to help her get the balance in her life right again. He said, “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.”

Today, many people are too busy to be with Jesus, and too busy to spend time with Him. They fail to make practicing our faith as the highest priority. Our activities should revolve around our faith. Not our faith revolving around our activities causing our faith to take a back seat.

How much joy and peace would be in your heart and in your home, if we were to put God first. Do we find our self trying to squeeze in time, for our faith, or in doing spiritual things, such as squeezing in going to Mass or in going to Confession, squeezing in doing a Holy Hour, spending personal time in prayer?

At various times during the day, Jesus can be the forefront of our day when we pray to Him. For example, it might help to read a paragraph from the Bible, especially one of the four Gospels. You could imagine yourself sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him and conversing with him just like Mary in the Gospel today. You can watch Fr. Mike Schmitz's bible study on Youtube.

Jesus would like our day to be built around Him: “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” When you live your entire day centered around Jesus, even when you have to step into Martha’s kitchen to do some work, you are already experiencing some little bit of heaven here on earth. If you live your entire day from morning until night centered around Jesus, you have peace in your heart and everything else falls into place.

What is keeping us from Jesus? Turn off the TV, put away the phone and video games, get off the computer, and pray together as a family, or if you can’t, can you go to your room or to the church? If you want to listen to Jesus, you have to create space in your day for Jesus. 

At times, there are youth and family activities that help us to stay focused on Jesus. There is Totus Tuus at Lyons, this year. Adoration Under the Stars, TEC (Teens Encounter with Christ), the Midwest Family Conference, which has youth speakers and adoration for children and adults. This is not just for our diocese, people come from other states to attend the family conference. We can also pray a Rosary together at home with our family.

When we make our Holy Hour, we sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer listening to him. Time spent in prayer is never wasted. It is the most fruitful time of all. For beginners, prayer may not be easy, but for those who persevere, it is certainly rewarding. We live such busy lives that sometimes we might not even be aware of what is really going on deep within us. May be the Lord is trying to tell you and your family to slow down, to enjoy Him and make Him your priority.

Praying to Our Lady is also very helpful; she is your mother. Even if your prayer is distracted, the important thing is to give the time to Jesus; he will understand and appreciate your love for Him and the time you give him. He said to the apostles in the garden, “Stay here and keep watch with me.” He would also like us to keep watch with Him and sit at His feet listening to Him.

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.