First reading Galatians 1:13-24
God called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me
You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, and was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judaea, who had heard nothing except that their one-time persecutor was now preaching the faith he had previously tried to destroy; and they gave glory to God for me.
Responsorial Psalm 138(139):1-3,13-15
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.
For it was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.
Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.
Gospel Luke 10:38-42
Martha works; Mary listens
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’
The Better Part
In today’s Gospel, Martha welcomes Jesus into her home and works hard to serve Him and His disciples. Mary, however, sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to His word. Distracted by her many tasks, Martha becomes upset that she has to do all the work without Mary’s help, so she turns to Jesus and complains. Jesus does not criticise Martha for serving; instead, He gently reminds her that she is missing what is essential: simply being with Him. Pulled in many directions, Martha allows her anxiety to rob her of peace and prevent her from being fully present to Jesus.
The question for us is not whether we serve, but whether our service flows from time spent with the Lord. Like Mary, we need to listen to Jesus first. Then our service will become a joyful response of love, rather than a burden.
Reflective question:
What prevents me from sitting at the feet of Jesus and finding rest in Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
