July 29, 2010 - Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of St. Martha
1 Jn 4:7-16 * Ps 34 * Lk 10:38-42 or Jn 11:19-27

MARTHA'S FAITH

Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." 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."

 

MARTHA

M artha, the patron saint of lay sisters and of housewives, knew very well how galling it can be, doing all the manual labour while others pursue more intellectual endeavours. When Jesus was a guest in her house, and when Martha was busy preparing a meal to welcome him properly, she was not impressed by her sister Mary sitting idle. Yet in truth, her sister was not idle or doing nothing. Mary was paying attention to the Lord and listening to him. Both of these practices, preparing meal and paying attention to people, are part of the practice of hospitality, and so Jesus was well cared for in that house. But because Martha was not sitting at the feet of the Lord to listen to him as Mary did, we need not conclude that she was an unrecollected activist. The Evangelist is only emphasizing what our Lord had said on many occasions about the primacy of the spiritual: "Man shall not live by bread alone" (Lk 4:4); "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Mt 6:33); "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Mt 5:6). Martha's great glory is her simple and strong statement of faith: "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God" (Jn 11:27). We are called to imitate Martha in her faith and active service to others, especially by acts of hospitality.

(Taken from His Word is Life by Vima Dasan, S.J, published by Paulines. Visit us at www.paulines.ph or at Paulines Media Centers.)

 

Sower’s Thought: "There needs to be a real veneration of chastity so as to abhor what is evil and what leads to evil. Let us heed Saint Paul's advice 'Abstain from every form of evil." There needs to be a real education in chastity, undertaken in a wise, charitable and prudent way. " - Blessed James Alberione, Founder of the Pauline Family