05 October 2010

05 Oct 2010, Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Gal 1:13-24


Brothers and sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it,
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
Responsorial PsalmR.


(24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Gospel
Lk 10:38-42


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.

Meditation: Luke 10:38-42

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.” (Luke 10:41)


“If I don’t do it, nobody else will!” This is probably how Martha felt on that day when Jesus came to visit. She got angry at Mary and at Jesus because she was left to do all the work by herself. In her mind, not even Jesus, this preacher of love and mercy, could see how hard she was working and how little Mary was doing. Couldn’t he see that the right thing would be to tell Mary to get up and lend a hand? Somehow, Martha was trying to get everything—including her sister and Jesus—to submit to her will.

But according to Jesus, Mary had chosen the better path that day. And all she did was sit quietly at Jesus’ feet and listen to him.

Look at the contrast between these two women. Mary was quiet, collected, peacefully soaking in Jesus’ teaching. Everything around her was an oasis of calm. Martha, on the other hand, was probably bustling about, maybe even banging pots and pans to draw attention to her plight. You could just imagine the tension that surrounded her, similar to the way it feels outside when a storm is approaching.

So which atmosphere would you rather have around your home? Mary’s peace or Martha’s anxiety? Mary’s openness to Jesus or Martha’s aggrieved, wounded attitude? And more to the point, which atmosphere would you rather contribute to? Do you want to be the one who causes tension and division? Wouldn’t you rather be the peacemaker—one of those whom Jesus says will be called “children of God” (Matthew 5:9)?

Mother Theresa suggested that when she was too busy, she’d spend twice as much time in prayer. Prayer can put us at ease, allowing God to bring peace and order to our daily lives. And when our hearts are resting peacefully in Jesus’ presence, his Spirit flows from us out to everyone around us. We really can change our home and work environment—simply by following Mary’s example and sitting quietly with Jesus every day.

“Lord, give me the peace and direction I need to do your will today. You are the Master of the universe, the supplier of all I need. Please take away my worry and anxiety. Let me be more like Mary, quiet and peaceful in your wonderful presence all day!”

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