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.” Luke 10:38-42
Type-A? Extrovert? Introvert? Active? Contemplative? Descriptive categories like these can sometimes be helpful in understanding personalities, but often categories can lose sight of the nuances of our souls, the complex ways in which we individually give expression to our particular way of reflecting the image of God. In church tradition Mary and Martha have represented the different calls to active or contemplative life, Mary’s contemplative life being recognized as the better way.
But for most of us, we probably see within ourselves a less delineated blend of active and contemplative sides of our nature. Today, the two sisters seem to call us to examine the ways in which we are at times Martha and at other times Mary, and to ask how we are to live with both of these calls within us.
We live in a very “active” society, in which activity and busyness are often equated with productivity, and productivity becomes the measure of happiness and personal value. We believe that a productive life is a meaningful life. We may be busy doing good works, works in service to God, to the Church, to our community and our families. They are good and valuable activities. But like Martha, we can become “distracted with much serving.” The good works and activities that involve us, and may even be “for God,” can become distractions, things that actually keep us from God. Martha’s service to Jesus certainly came from her heart and was well-intentioned. But rather than coming from a place of freedom in her (she could freely choose to do it or not to do it), her service had become fruitless and frantic busyness. She was “anxious and troubled about many things.”
Often we hear people say, “I need to slow down, but I don’t know how to.” We can become trapped by our own activity, no longer choosing freely what to do with our time, but having our time filled by obligations and demands. Jesus calls us to discover for ourselves that only “one thing is needful.” Sitting at Jesus’ feet and receiving from him is the one thing that we need. The rest of our activities must be prioritized after this one thing. Being filled up by him in our hearts and spirits is what allows us to freely choose what things to do and what not to do, to discern where we being asked to give of ourselves by Jesus, and where we are not. By sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning to know his voice in us, we will be able to resist reacting with activity to the voices who call us to join the frenzy of busyness.
Lent can be a time when we practice becoming “active contemplatives,” whose activity is grounded in the silence of prayer. Then we discern the difference between doing God’s work and working for God. Working for God is when we do good works to please God, but like Martha find ourselves “distracted with much serving.” God’s work is that which Christ calls us to do in freedom, and which grows out of our prayer.
Read the scripture passage over once. Then read it over again, slowly this time.Imagine that you are in the scene with Mary and Martha and Jesus in Bethany. Imagine the details of the room, how it feels. Is it warm or cool, dark or light. You smell the cooking food that Martha is preparing. Where are you in the room? Where are you in relation to Jesus? As you are sitting in the room, you hear Jesus speaking to Mary and the other disciples who are present. You see Martha enter the room and hear her conversation with Jesus.
How do you feel about the words Jesus says to Martha? Now Jesus turns toward where you are sitting and your eyes meet. What do you say to Jesus?... What does Jesus say to you?...
Stay with Jesus in your prayer until your conversation with him is finished. When you are ready, write your conversation with Jesus.