Gospel Reflection for 21st July

The 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary - Henryk Siemiradzki

Praying and Doing… 

Let me start with a very honest disclaimer: this is the one Gospel that I really don’t agree with Jesus!! It’s a very short, but equally important gospel and it does contain many riches.

Jesus goes to see his very close friends, Mary and Martha – Lazarus is their brother. From what we read, as soon he enters their home, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to him as he begins to speak and teach. This is a very important detail that we are given. Mary is literally sitting at her masters feet as he speaks. She has taken the place of the disciple. This would not be normal for woman to do this or even to be allowed to do at the time of Jesus. But as usual, Jesus breaks the cultural, religious rules and norms of his time. The good news that Jesus bring and offers is everyone, not just the select few. What he says, we are not told. We are simply told that Mary listened as he spoke. The Master speaks and the disciple listens.

Then we have Martha’s reaction. She is not happy at all either with Mary or indeed Jesus. She has been busy cleaning the house, preparing and serving the food! She gives out to Jesus and asks that he gets Mary to help her. I genuinely struggle with the response Jesus gives her; ‘It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

Sadly, over the years this gospel has been used to suggest and promote the idea that prayer is more important than action, sitting in silence is more beneficial than being engaged with others. But honestly, is it really the better part to sit and let others do all the work? What if all the ‘Martha’s’ in the world downed tools, stopped working and left the ‘Mary’s’ and Jesus without any food?

Clearly both responses are needed; prayer and activity. If I sat all day praying and did no house work or talk to others around me, that’s not a good thing. If I spend all my time being busy and occupied, then neither is this a good or healthy thing. What is needed is balance in all things; I need to quiet time to pray when I can talk  and listen to Jesus as Mary did. I also need to engage with real life around me and talk with those around me. Too much of either is just not healthy!

Jesus spent a lot of his time with people. He spoke to people on their own and he spoke to large crowds of people. He healed many people as travelled from village to village. We are told several times in the gospels that many people followed him to hear him and many brought the sick so that he could touch and heal them. He was often surrounded by people who were making demands on him. We are also told that Jesus often went off my himself so that he be alone and pray. On one occasion ‘tired by the journey, Jesus sat by a well.’ So clearly Jesus realised the necessity of creating a healthy balance between being busy and taking some time to be silent so that he could pray.

Perhaps for many today who are juggling a busy work and family life, quiet time is much sought after luxury. But even five minutes of prayer can make all the difference. Maybe a few minutes before or after mass is our way for simply sitting silently in the company of Jesus as Mary did. And then hopefully, having prayed, we are renewed and restored as we leave mass and we are ready to once again love and serve each other, especially those closest to us, our families.