Keeping our eyes on the prize.

My dear Friends in Christ,

How do we cultivate a Mary heart in a Martha world? Mary and Martha were close friends and followers of Jesus. Together with their brother Lazarus, they were preparing to host Jesus and His disciples in their home. Martha was running around, serving and doing her best to make everything good for their beloved guest. Martha was looking for help from her sister Mary and was none-too-pleased to find her sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha was at this point probably irritated, frustrated, and resentful. Whey should she be doing all the work? Why isn’t Mary helping her? Martha growing increasingly annoyed approached Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her. Jesus rebuked her! “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” This must have felt like a punch in the gut for Martha. Here she was doing everything in her power to be hospitable, and Mary just sat there. How often do we get so wrapped up in things that we lose sight of what’s important? How often do we act like Mary and choose the good part? How often do we act like Martha, judging and worrying about what others do? To answer the original question, we must worry about doing the right thing while keeping our eyes on the prize: life eternal in His heavenly kingdom!

The second collection next week will be for the “retired spiritual fathers” (priests) of our Diocese on this World Day for Grandparents and the elderly.

May God bless you all,

Father John