Homily on Luke
10:38-42
Theme: “The One Thing Necessary”
Today’s Gospel brings us into a simple
but deeply meaningful scene in the home of Martha and Mary—two sisters who
receive Jesus as a guest.
And yet, this brief passage challenges
us with a profound spiritual question: Are we choosing the better part?
Let us listen again to the heart of
the story.
Jesus enters the village, and Martha
welcomes Him into her home.
Immediately, she busies herself with
all the preparations—probably cooking, cleaning, ensuring that everything is in
order.
Meanwhile, Mary sits at the feet of
Jesus, listening to His words.
Eventually, Martha becomes frustrated.
She turns to Jesus and says, “Lord, do
you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her
to help me!”
And Jesus answers with gentleness but
clarity:
“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.”
Let’s pause here.
Jesus is not criticizing Martha’s
hospitality.
In fact, in many ways, she is doing
something good—serving the Lord, taking care of others.
Her service is not the problem.
What Jesus is pointing out is that her
heart is anxious, divided, distracted.
She is doing the right thing
outwardly, but inwardly she is not at peace.
1. The Balance of
Action and Contemplation
In the Catholic tradition, we often
speak of two modes of discipleship: the active and the contemplative.
Martha represents the active
life—serving, ministering, doing.
Mary represents the contemplative
life—listening, praying, resting in God’s presence.
But it would be a mistake to think
that Jesus is telling us to choose only one or the other.
The truth is, we need both.
The saints understood this well.
Think of St. Benedict, who gave
us the rule “Ora et labora” — “Pray and work.”
Think of St. Teresa of Calcutta,
who spent hours in prayer each morning before going out to serve the poorest of
the poor.
Even Jesus Himself often withdrew from
the crowds to pray to the Father, before going out to teach and heal.
The problem is not that Martha is
serving.
The problem is that she forgot to
sit at the feet of Jesus first.
And because of that, her service
became filled with anxiety, comparison, and even resentment.
How often does that happen to us?
2. Distraction and
Anxiety in Our Lives
We live in a world that constantly
rewards busyness.
How often do we hear people say, “I’m
just so busy,” as if it’s a badge of honor?
But busyness is not the same as
holiness.
Activity is not the same as
fruitfulness.
Sometimes, in our desire to serve or
to achieve, we lose sight of the Lord Himself.
Jesus says, “You are worried and
anxious about many things.”
That could be said of so many of us.
We worry about work, about family,
about money, about health.
We even worry about our ministries in
the Church.
But Jesus invites us to something
deeper: resting in His presence, receiving His Word, letting Him be our
peace.
This Gospel reminds us that prayer is
not a luxury—it is the one thing necessary.
Without it, everything else becomes
shallow and strained.
With it, even our smallest acts of
service become filled with love and meaning.
3. Choosing the
Better Part
So what does it mean to “choose the
better part,” as Mary did?
It means making space in our lives for
silence and prayer.
It means reading Scripture—not just
for information, but for transformation.
It means coming to Mass not just out
of obligation, but with hearts open to receive.
It means adoring Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, listening to Him speak in the depths of our hearts.
Mary chose the better part because she
made time to be with Jesus, to sit at His feet and let His words shape her
soul.
Let’s not misunderstand: the goal is
not to stop serving.
But rather, to make sure our service
flows from a deep relationship with Christ.
4. Practical
Applications
Let me offer just a few simple
suggestions, ways we can imitate Mary in our daily lives:
- Begin your day with prayer. Even five or ten minutes of
quiet before the Lord can change the tone of your whole day.
- Read a passage of Scripture each day, especially from the
Gospels. Let Jesus speak to you.
- Visit the Blessed Sacrament. take advantage of that
treasure.
- Pray the Rosary, especially when you feel
anxious or distracted. Our Blessed Mother will help you sit at the feet of
her Son.
5. Closing
Encouragement
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is not far
from us.
He wants to visit us, to dwell in our
homes, to speak to our hearts.
But we must make the time and space to
receive Him.
So, let us ask ourselves honestly: Am
I more like Martha—anxious and busy, even with good things?
Or am I striving to be like Mary,
sitting quietly with Jesus, choosing the better part?
Let us ask for the grace to do both:
to serve like Martha, but first to pray like Mary.
Then our hearts will be at peace, and
our lives will truly reflect the love of Christ.
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