Homily For Monday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B. 29th July, 2024. The Memorial of St. Martha May and Lazarus

 

Readings: Jer.13:1-11. Ps. 32, Luke 10:38-42

 Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia 

 

DON’T WORRY AND TROUBLE ABOUT SO MANY THINGS LEARN TO LISTEN

 

Oftentimes, we worry about so many things in life, trying to satisfy everyone at the expense of the real thing that matters more. I have 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 this day. This sacrificial virtue is the attitude of Martha, whose memorial, along with Mary and Lazarus, we are celebrating today.

 

In our Gospel passage, we have 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 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,’ he said ‘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 to listen to his word, for he always insists that true listening to his word means putting it into practice. His objection to Martha is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things that she was not able to listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option

 

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.

 

For, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us learn from her, that, 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.

 

Thus, we heard the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah in our first reading saying I had intended the whole House of Judah to cling to me. It is the Lord who speaks to be my people, my glory, my honour and my boast. But they have not listened.’ So, let us learn to listen to the Lord.

 

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 be caring and hospitable just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.