“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself”

"The time you spend with Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth," - Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta


Gospel text (Lk 10:38-42): As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He entered a village and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister named Mary who sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving and finally she said, «Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?». But the Lord answered, «Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her».

Martha or Mary? But......., why opposing those who loved each other so much and loved God too? Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, and He loves each one of us, too. On the path of sainthood not any two souls are exactly alike. We all try to love God, but within our own style and personality, without imitating anyone. Our models are Christ and the Mother of God. Do you resent how others treat God? Try to learn from His personal piety.

«Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving? Ask her therefore to help me» (Lk 10:40). To serve others, for the love of God, is an honor, not a burden. Do we serve with joy, as the Mother of God did with her cousin Elisabeth or at Cana 's wedding, or as Jesus did when washing the Apostle's feet at the Last Supper?

First, each of us must strive to be like Mary in the gospel today. If we set aside time each day to listen to the Lord in prayer, the Bible, and silence, we will begin to develop a lifestyle of listening. As we listen attentively to the Lord, we will likely hear Him calling us into action. Then, having attained "full knowledge of His will," we "will multiply good works of every sort" ( Col 1:9-10).

A "Mary" tends to develop into an activist like "Martha", and only a "Mary" makes a good "Martha". As Mother Teresa said, we are called to be "active contemplatives."

Let us lose neither our peace nor our good humor. And to accomplish it, let us take good care of God's presence. «Know it well: There is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations; and it is up to each person to discover it (…); either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find him» (St. Josemaria).

Jesus does not come to their house every day, but when he comes he brings an important message. Jesus is telling Martha that listening to him is far more important than the busy work of preparation. Just as in the days of Mary and Martha, people today value work and the sharing of work. God values work also, but when work interferes with hearing the words of Jesus, he wants us to listen rather than work. Here again it seems to me that our ways are not God's ways.

In today's readings I think God is calling us to listen and to learn from him.