“Luke 10:38-42”
©2013 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
Gospel: (Luke 10:38-42 / The Better Portion)
“Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Reflection: My Friends,
Our lives are meant to be so simple, yet so many of us live complicated, very involved lives that keep us just way too busy. Martha was that busy muli-tasker in today’s gospel. Of cause she loves our Lord -of cause she honored Him and there is no doubt that her heart was in the right place; the only question is, most especially in His presence should she have been so busy in the works for Him? or should she have been instead directly focused on Him? There is a time for ministry, a time for service that honors Him; but in the end loving and honoring and focusing fully on Him must come front and center in all that we do. Think of it like this; if we spent the whole week serving our Lord by helping others who needed maybe food needs met or even faith questions answered; then on Sunday we never went to Mass or spent any time daily -directly with Him in prayer or worship, what good was all that time spent doing those works in His Name, when in the end we never really spent any time with Him? We must place Him first in our lives at all times; most especially after we “serve Him”. It’s not bad or wrong to do the works that honor Him, we just can’t forget to Honor Him!!!
We can look at this in many ways in our lives, either as a married couple, a parent, or a friend. If we spend our time focused on serving them (even with love), but yet spend no time at all directly with our spouse, our kids or our friends; then where is the depth and meaning of that relationship truly in our lives? Jesus is also a guest in our home and as a guest like any guest, simply serving Him without spending time with Him; takes away from that relationship we have with them. Jesus is no different, He too must have our undivided attention and desire to spend time with Him. The better portion must always be part of our daily faith.
Pondering these thoughts today: Jesus must come first in our lives in all things; not the works of our Lord or even the laboring of a ministry honoring Him, but rather our relationship directly with Him must come first and foremost in our lives. Even though Martha most certainly chose to serve our Lord with a heart full of love; Mary chose to sit at His feet to be with directly Him instead. Both women chose great things to do in Jesus’ presence; it’s just that Mary chose the better portion. Are we able to know when we must choose the better portion in our lives? Do we attentively seek after Him always; or are we so preoccupied in the services that are about Him? And also consider this: Is Jesus always welcome in your home? If Jesus were to be there with you in your home and He spent the day with you; would He say you chose the better portion? Just a thought.
Consider this: When I use to attend daily Mass. For the longest time every single day before I ate anything, before I spent time in my studies, before my day began. I placed early morning Mass first and receiving Him in communion first. Jesus was always the purposely intended first one to touch my tongue each day in nutriment and in word at Mass. Just a thought you may consider in your own daily habits. I also do this on Sundays, in that I won’t eat anything first; the Eucharist “Jesus” always comes first.
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
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