July 2016
Mark, Chapter 6 : 30-34
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was 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.”
Reflection:
For me – this week’s Gospel not only speaks implicitly of our festive gathering tonight (yes, even Jesus participated in festivities) but also explicitly to our mission and our purpose.
Jesus says Martha was…
burdened with much serving…
And was also…
anxious and worried about many things.
And yet, at the same time in the same place and with similar or equal social standing, Mary instead…
sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
The question I believe is how much of Martha and how much of Mary am I, are You, are We?
Martha and her burdens, anxiety and worries are certainly in each of us here tonight. One only need look at the full agenda…approve this, review that, consider collections…remodels here, meetings somewhere, committees everywhere. Lots of stuff to consider. And surely tonight’s nourishment didn’t prepare itself.
And this Martha in us isn’t wrong or misguided. We should collectively persist in our mission, as well as contributing towards making tonight’s festivities a successful endeavor.
Yet…the gospel concludes with…
There is need of only one thing. …Mary has chosen the better part…
Ah, now there’s the point – yes? Remembering the Vincentian mission –
to do a great deal of spiritual good to its members through the exercise of charity, and to do a little spiritual and temporal good to a few poor families in the name of Jesus Christ.
So my reflection is yes, tonight (for the most part) we rest from “the exercise of charity”, set aside that which makes us anxious, and suppress the things about which we worry. Tonight, let us cheerfully celebrate.
For that is why we’re here tonight, to celebrate. But let us also always hold close the message from the Gospel and choose “the one thing, the better part” that makes us whole and brings the Hope, the Love, and the light of Christ to us.
Welcome to 10 Angels 