The 16th Sunday of Ordered Time 

July 18, 20 10 

Sunday's gospel recounts the visit Jesus has with Martha and Mary. Martha invites him to her home, where she lives with her sister, Mary. Martha sets about to provide for her guest; Mary sat with him and listened to him teach. After a time, Martha seems to have lost patience with her sister and asks, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?" Jesus answers her by saying, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." It is not that the tasks of hospitality do not matter. We do want to feed our guests, and serve them, and make them feel welcome. It is when all of this becomes a burden that we lose focus on the guest. In his answer, Jesus suggests that the most important thing about his visit is what he has to offer, and Mary recognized that and took advantage of it. Mary let go of the "doer" part of her life, and entered unburdened into what Jesus had to offer. This is a good lesson for all of us. What anxiety and worry prevents each of us from listening--to our own mind, to others, to the world we live in. Jesus invites us to let go and listen. The housework will always be there and we can get to it eventually. This moment, like every other moment will pass. Will we have paid attention to it?