As they went on their way, he
entered a village where a woman named Martha received him into her house. Her
sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to what he said. Martha,
distracted with serving, came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that
my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her to help me.”
Jesus answered
her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many
things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will
not be taken away from her.”
He said to them, “Suppose you
go to a friend at midnight, and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of
bread, for someone has come to me from a journey, and I have no food to
offer,’ and the friend answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is shut, and my
children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ Although your
friend won’t rise and give it to you out of friendship, because of your persistence,
your friend will get up and give you as much as you need.
As Jesus said these things, a
woman in the crowd lifted up her voice, and said, “Blessed is the womb that
bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”
Jesus replied, “On the
contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and do it.”
Reflection
Mary’s persistence in
listening to Jesus was not to be set aside simply because Martha needed help
doing what she felt obligated to do. There are times when customs, traditions
and rules must be set aside in order to seize the moment. If you had no duties or
obligations at this point in your life, what would you most want to do?
Prayer: Help me know the
difference, Lord, between seizing the moment and shirking responsibilities.
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