In today’s Gospel we see two types of Christians, Martha who seeks to please the Lord through her work and action; and Mary who chooses to honor Christ by sitting at his feet and putting him before everything else. Is an active type of service less noble than one who sits quietly listening to what our Lord has to say?
There has been much discussion about these two sisters, with Martha oftentimes criticized as being the lesser disciple. However, there are great lessons to be learned from both women. Martha had pure intentions. Wanting the Lord’s visit to be perfect, she immersed herself in preparations and chores, hoping to please him. She was being a faithful servant, she wanted all the details in order; everything should run smoothly. As much as possible, there should be no faux pas. Instead of carrying on with the work she was doing for Jesus, she needed the extra help from her sister, so she implored our Lord to instruct Mary to assist her.
Mary on the other hand chose to keep herself in the Lord’s presence, and to focus on his teaching. She made the most out of the special moment to be in the actual presence of Jesus.
I’m sure our Lord appreciated the efforts of both sisters. Perhaps, he was quietly advising Martha not to be too caught up in all the prep work she was doing. It would be good to take a break and listen like Mary to what he was sharing. Who knows when an opportunity like this would happen again?
Which of the sisters do we identify with the most?
Dearest Lord, give us a heart of service and humility, and the grace to keep you at the front and center of our daily life. Amen.