Homily For Saturday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th July, 2023

The Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Readings: Ex. 24:3-8; Ps. 50; Luke 10:38-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ARE YOU TOO BUSY AND ANXIOUS LIKE MARTHA? LEARN TO LISTEN LIKE MARY

 

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints, Martha, Mary and Lazarus very close family friends of Jesus. In this family we see what should be a good example of our attitude towards Jesus in our families. In our relationship with Jesus we often do not know what Jesus requires from us.  Oftentimes we worry about so many things in life, and this often distracts us from relating with Jesus properly. But Jesus will always have a way of teaching us how to relate with him despite our different charisms and disposition.

 

This is what is playing out in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable as he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, rather was busy listening to Jesus, she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her”.

 

Here, Jesus is not condemning this great sacrificial virtue nor condoning laziness. Rather, he is saying that busy without listening and listening without doing is completely worthless. Because in our relationship with him, Jesus wants us to learn how to listen to him even in our busy schedules. Hence, he gently corrected the impression of Martha who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is really important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But, in fact, she was listening to Jesus.

 

However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down to listen to his word, for he always insists that the best way of listening to his word is by putting it into practice. While his objection to Martha is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things that she was not able to really listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option.

 

This act of listening to God is what the people in the first reading today failed to do. That is why Moses made them to listen when he told them all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. In answer, all the people who listened  said with one voice, ‘We will observe all the commands that the Lord has decreed.

 

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of listener or more of accommodating and caring? Are we more like Martha, Mary or Lazarus for they were all close family friends of Jesus? Today many of us are so busy and anxious of so many things that we have no time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing the situation we are actually busy trying to solve.

 

Today we are called like Martha to pause and listen, so that we can hear God speaking to us and directing us towards the right path. Remember, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us also learn from her, for it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time to listen to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks without being distracted by the things of this passing world.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are anxious and worried about so many things, but indeed only one thing is needed, give us the grace to truly listen to your word and so have a caring and hospitable family just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.