Mary and Martha

Sisters and brothers in Christ, the familiar story of Mary and Martha, in today's Gospel, shows us what it entails to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Mary represents "being". Psalm 46:10 tells us: "Be still and know that I am God!" and, indeed, Mary "sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." Martha represents "doing". When God approached his disciples, he called out to them and said, "follow me", and, indeed, they followed him.

Through our baptism, Jesus claims us as his and we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father through Christ. Our identity rests in "being" a child of God. However, through our baptism, Jesus also gives us a mission, the same mission that he gave his disciples - "go. . . and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

"Being" and "doing", two arms of discipleship; however, as Jesus tells us: "Mary has chosen the better part." Mary, who is "being" in the presence of God, chose the better part because who we are and what we are called to do in life flows from one source - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May we be like Mary and Martha because this world of ours needs to know that we are God's beloved and our purpose in life is to discern and do God's will.

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Gospel of the Day

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "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."