MARTHA AND MARY; Is loving your neighbour ore important than loving Jesus?
jesus went into a village and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with with much serving and she went to him and said "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve on my own. Tell her then to help me" But the Lord answered her "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her." {Luke 10: 38-42}
At first glance the complaint from Martha seems reasonable enough. Here she was with guests in her house, meals to be made, drinks to be given out, ensuring all the guests were comfortable. She was on her own doing all these things and she did not have the time like Mary to pay attention to one guest. So feeling right was on her side she came and complained, not to Mary, but to Jesus. Why are you allowing this? Surely you see I need help.
Again at first glance we might conclude his answer was rude. He said something which could be interpreted as "Martha, Martha, you are always complaining. Why don't you just leave Mary alone for I enjoy talking to her" But there was something more personal here in what Jesus said than just this incident. "...you are always anxious and troubled about many things......." And remember that it was Martha who had invited Jesus to the house in the first place. So although she had done this she then spent her time running around after everyone else. But Jesus wanted her, as much as he wanted Mary. His mission was to preach and to teach not to be waited on. But as long as Martha was running around after everyone else how could he be of help to her?
There is a little bit of Martha in many people in the Church today. Many go forward to receive him in Holy Communion, welcoming him like Martha into their house, but probably as a result of false preparation for communion as a child they are taught to then ignore Him and serve the Community, and be far too busy to recognise his presence. It is serving our neighbour that is important. It is giving donations and collecting donations for the poor, it is organising committees for this purpose or that purpose, it is welcoming the strangers but leaving Jesus on his own in the Blessed Sacrament to the extent that even when visiting the parish for all kind of purposes we never bother to even have a quick call into the Church where Jesus is present waiting for us. No, he is not there as far as we are concerned. When we organise the parish for the buzz word 'evangelisation' even then there is no need for Jesus, nor loving Jesus, it is about all the wonderful or not so wonderful things we will be doing in the Community. Mary was devoted to Jesus but Martha saw that devotion as 'out of place'. We have to get on with serving our neighbour. As the people I have criticised often used to say "We have to get rid of these devotions"
It is not that serving our neighbour is of itself wrong but if it stops us serving Jesus it is very wrong. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart and all your Soul, with all your mind, with all your strength" Sorry Jesus, you are holding me back, I have to get on with changing the world" Now what was the answer of Jesus, Yes, "Without me you can do nothing".
At first glance the complaint from Martha seems reasonable enough. Here she was with guests in her house, meals to be made, drinks to be given out, ensuring all the guests were comfortable. She was on her own doing all these things and she did not have the time like Mary to pay attention to one guest. So feeling right was on her side she came and complained, not to Mary, but to Jesus. Why are you allowing this? Surely you see I need help.
Again at first glance we might conclude his answer was rude. He said something which could be interpreted as "Martha, Martha, you are always complaining. Why don't you just leave Mary alone for I enjoy talking to her" But there was something more personal here in what Jesus said than just this incident. "...you are always anxious and troubled about many things......." And remember that it was Martha who had invited Jesus to the house in the first place. So although she had done this she then spent her time running around after everyone else. But Jesus wanted her, as much as he wanted Mary. His mission was to preach and to teach not to be waited on. But as long as Martha was running around after everyone else how could he be of help to her?
There is a little bit of Martha in many people in the Church today. Many go forward to receive him in Holy Communion, welcoming him like Martha into their house, but probably as a result of false preparation for communion as a child they are taught to then ignore Him and serve the Community, and be far too busy to recognise his presence. It is serving our neighbour that is important. It is giving donations and collecting donations for the poor, it is organising committees for this purpose or that purpose, it is welcoming the strangers but leaving Jesus on his own in the Blessed Sacrament to the extent that even when visiting the parish for all kind of purposes we never bother to even have a quick call into the Church where Jesus is present waiting for us. No, he is not there as far as we are concerned. When we organise the parish for the buzz word 'evangelisation' even then there is no need for Jesus, nor loving Jesus, it is about all the wonderful or not so wonderful things we will be doing in the Community. Mary was devoted to Jesus but Martha saw that devotion as 'out of place'. We have to get on with serving our neighbour. As the people I have criticised often used to say "We have to get rid of these devotions"
It is not that serving our neighbour is of itself wrong but if it stops us serving Jesus it is very wrong. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart and all your Soul, with all your mind, with all your strength" Sorry Jesus, you are holding me back, I have to get on with changing the world" Now what was the answer of Jesus, Yes, "Without me you can do nothing".
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