Word to the Wise
Saturday, July 29, 2017 - July 29 - St. Martha
[1 John 4:7-16 and John 11:19-27 or Luke 10:38-42,1230]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."
JULY 29 ST. MARTHA
Poor Martha! She has gotten a lot of teasing from the very beginning, even from Jesus! Yet she is a woman who speaks her mind and is ready to work for what she says! Both gospel selections for this feast day show her ready to chide Jesus either for not making Mary help her or for not coming right away to take care of Lazarus. But, in doing this, she provides the opportunity for Jesus' to say something important. In the passage from John, she elicits the reply, "I am the resurrection and the life!" and in the passage from Luke, she makes it possible for Jesus to point out that Mary's position at his feet, listening to his word, is the preferred state of the disciple. Discipleship starts at the feet of Jesus and not in activities, important as they may be.
Martha's directness and energy are an inspiration as long as we don't isolate her from her sister or from Jesus. We need all three. AMEN
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