Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus visits the house of Martha and Mary, his friends, possibly to get away from the crowds. Martha was a woman of lots of energy, and Mary had the heart of a disciple.
Mary and Martha speak to us. We all know have our anxious moments when we’re concerned about many things, worried when it’s probably not necessary.
And we’ve had those moments when it felt like we were doing all the work. Then there’s the other side when we recognize the need to sit, to listen, and to be quiet. Martha bustled about. Mary took the place of a disciple.
This dilemma is one that speaks to many today, in a seemingly constantly spinning world. The challenge in doing so many things, going lots of places can leave anyone worn out. There’s the other side of us that seeks to be quiet, still, at peace, prayerful, reflective. Mary sat at the feet of the master listening to his every word. The invitation to us is to sit with God’s Word in the Scripture and to be calm and prayerful. We all have a little of the Martha spirit and the Mary style in us. Let’s seek to give each a place, balancing our contemplative side with our need to be active – but not to be anxious in either case.
Reflection by Fr. Peter Ullrich, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections