FRIDAY, October 22

Luke 10:38-42. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.

Jesus loved both Mary and Martha with the same outpouring of generosity he showed to all. And each of the two sisters responded to him with all she was and all she had to give. Busy, bustling Martha, scrubbing and polishing, slaving over a hot stove to make something special for the beloved guest. Mary, rather quiet, rather withdrawn, offering him her whole attention, listening and absorbing his words, watching his face.

Jesus accepted the offerings of both natures, and it wouldn’t have occurred to him, probably, to praise one more than the other, for each expressed the reality of her own personal style.

It was Martha who forced the comparison. “Here I am doing all the work, and there she sits.” And Jesus, gentle and good humored, but firm, made it clear that Mary had a part to play in the world—her work of contemplation—as legitimate and useful as Martha’s. For her, even if not for Martha, it was the better part.

The peace and fruitfulness of your life is in being fully yourself. (1970)

PRAY for the Diocese of Iowa (Province VI, USA)

Ps 31 * 35; Ecclesiasticus 11:2-20; Revelation 9:13-21

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Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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DISCIPLINE

Oct 22, 2010 at 7:35 am

Written by Stephen,

The act of sitting before the feet of Jesus seems passive and silly to us in a busy world. The reality is that being busy is very easy for me. The hard thing is to take the time to reflect, read and pray. Devotion takes great concentration and focus. I often wake up and ask myself what is important today and the answer is "everything". But within the order of everything there is only one thing that maters. The Martha in me is very important. Without her not much would get done, but the Mary in me helps order my busy life. The root word to discipline is "to follow". We acquaint it with punishment and self denial. It is in fact for me the key to God's love.

...

Oct 22, 2010 at 9:18 am

Written by Andrea,

I like the way the writer of the meditation doesn't generalize from this story and make it an absolute, that contemplation is always better than action. The writer says that Mary has chosen the better part for her. Especially in the story, which is gendered, it always bothers me when people lift up Mary and say Martha got it wrong. Mary couldn't have been sitting at Jesus's feet if Martha wasn't doing all the work. Both action and contemplation are necessary.

Here! Here!

Oct 22, 2010 at 9:34 am

Written by irma,

"...both action and contemplation are necessary". Here! Here! And when I must choose, I choose where there is the greater need. It is curious though--sometimes when you follow, you emerge the leader.

...

Oct 22, 2010 at 5:22 pm

Written by Tom P,

Where would we be if everyone meditated instead of working? Perhaps in a better place and not slaves to our possesions. Not exactly the Puritanical work ethos that western civilizations profess to be dominated by but then maybe we wouldn't have made so many mistakes in our haste to make life easier. Just consider where that work ethic has gotten us and the rest of creation. Our species may not survive its creativity.

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