Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th October, 2023

Readings: Gal 1: 13-24, Ps. 139, Luke 10:38-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO LISTEN EVEN IN YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE

 

Listening is one of the vital aspects of the human person, which is very much lacking in most of our communication these days. This is because, oftentimes, we worry about so many things in life, trying to let people hear us without taking the time to listen to them. Some people are always trying to satisfy everyone without listening to the real thing that matters. I have also come across people who are often worried about how to make others feel more comfortable without minding their discomfort. They are so concerned with pleasing others even when they are not pleased. What a great sacrificial virtue that is not common these days.

 

This sacrificial virtue is the attitude of Martha in our Gospel passage today where we have the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable when he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, but 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 being busy without listening and listening without doing is worthless. Hence, he gently corrects the impression of Martha who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But she is listening to Jesus.

 

However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down and listening to his word, for he always insists that listening to his word means putting it into practice. His objection to Martha's request is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things, so she was not able to listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option. It is this act of listening that saved the people of Nineveh in our first reading today because when they listened to the preaching of the prophet Jonah, the whole city of Nineveh went into great mourning and repentance before God. For everyone who listened to Jonah beginning from the King, who issued an order that the whole city and its people should repent from their sins, right down to the lowest among the people, all humbled themselves, tore their clothes and wore sackcloth as a sign of penance.

 

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

 

Thus, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us learn from her, knowing that hospitality is perfected when we have a listening ear. For it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time listening to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always so busy with the things of this passing world, that we often do not have time to listen to you. Give us the grace like Mary to choose the better part which is to truly listen to your word and then be well disposed to be caring and hospitable just like Martha, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.