21 July, 2013

16th Sunday in ordinary Time

Mary Has chosen the better...

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME ©

Luke 10, 38-42 

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried  and upset about many things,  but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”



José Antonio Pagola



Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ©

Nothing more important

Luke 10: 38-42

The episode is somewhat surprising. The disciples accompanying Jesus have left the scene. Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, is not there. In the house of the small town of Bethany, Jesus finds himself all alone with two women who adopt two different attitudes to his  arrival. 

   Martha, who undoubtedly is the elder sister, welcomes Jesus as the housekeeper and puts herself entirely at his service. It’s quite natural. According to the mentality of the time, dedication to the tasks of the home was the exclusive task of women. On the other hand. Maria, the younger sister, sits at the feet of Jesus to listen to what he says. Her attitude is surprising for she is taking the role proper of a “disciple” which belonged only  to men.

  At a certain point, Martha, absorbed by the work and overcome by fatigue, feels left alone by her sister and misunderstood by Jesus: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Why does she not tell her sister to do the work every woman should be doing and give up the place reserved for male disciples?

   The answer of Jesus is of great importance. Luke wrote this probably thinking of the disagreements and little conflicts that occurred in the early communities at the time of assigning various tasks: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is best and it will not be taken away from her.”

   At no time does Jesus criticize Martha about her attitude of service, a fundamental task in all following of Jesus, but he shows her not to be absorbed by her work to the point of losing her peace of mind. Then he reminds her that hearing his Word should be a priority for everyone, women too, and not a kind  of privilege of male members. 

   It is urgent to understand and organize the Christian community today, as a place where, first of all, the Gospel is welcomed in the midst of a secular and pluralistic society of our times. Nothing is more important, nothing more needed. We, men and women, believers and nonbelievers, must learn to gather together in small groups to listen to and share the message of Jesus.

   This listening to the Gospel in small “cells” can today become the “matrix” from which the fabric of our parishes in crisis will keep being regenerated. If ordinary people know the Gospel at first hand, enjoy it and demand it be implemented by the hierarchy, they will draw us all after Jesus.
 Translation by Vally D'Souza sj

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