GUEST IN OUR HEART
All of us have wondered: just how does this Martha
and Mary story fit into our lives today?... The journey to holiness is to have this spirit
of serving God "always and everywhere."
When I was a little boy we lived in a small town in North Dakota, and we
went to a small country parish. I can remember one time when my Mom heard the
Gospel we have just read for today's reflection, she complained after the Mass.
"Indeed, Martha, Martha, Mom, Mom! Who would do the cleaning and cooking
and washing around here if we Marthas didn't do it? Nothing would get done if I
just sat and thought and talked about holy things." I thought out loud,
and said, "oh Mom! It is your job to do this." Well that was wrong
thinking and I truly learned a lesson to keep my mouth shout next time I
thought out loud. I learned about doing some house work the next few days. Now,
I truly know what my Mom went through, raising eight kids, five of them being
boys who made messes.
Perhaps some of you women have wondered about this as well. All of us
have wondered: just how does this Martha and Mary story fit into our lives
today? Practically all our waking moments are very busy ones. We have little
time for sitting at the feet of Jesus. We would like to pray more, attend
weekday Mass oftener, read our Bible and other spiritual reading, but we just
don't have the time or energy. Really Jesus wants us to be both Martha and
Mary. He did not say that when you worked with Martha you could not pray with
Mary, and vice versa. Their roles are related. We must be both Martha and Mary.
It takes a bit of doing but it can be done.
"There is need of only one thing" Taste and see how good the
Lord is; blessed are we who take refuge in Him. And may we bless our God at all
time (Ps 34.)
It is important to start the day right. If your morning offering must be
short, try this: "O God, I offer this whole day to you." It takes
only a few seconds to make a more expressive offering like the following:
"O God, I offer you all my thoughts, words, and actions for your greater
honor and glory, in union with your Son Jesus Christ, Our Lord and
Redeemer." Repeat that kind of offering often,s- not necessarily the whole
prayer but the wish that what you are thinking, what you are saying, what you
are doing, be offered to God. Connect this with something you do frequently,
for instance, every time you wash dishes, answer the telephone, or make a bed.
During this reflection time decide just when and where and how you will take a
few seconds to offer what you are doing-to God.
The journey to holiness is to have this spirit of serving God
"always and everywhere." Then Jesus will be a Guest in our heart, a
gift that is freely given to us.