Scripture Reflection, July 18: The One Thing Necessary

Scripture Readings:
Genesis 18:1-10
Psalm 15:2-5
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42

Have you ever found yourself hosting a party for some good friends and family members? I remember that many times the following situation occurred: The guests of the party arrive, maybe several of them at the same time. Cool drinks are waiting for them in the living room and food is ready to be served in the kitchen. But the guests are so happy to see you and each other that they stop in the entrance area to talk and catch up with each other. What should you do as a good host? Stay with them and join the conversation? Invite them to sit down in the living room and serve them drinks and snacks? Or return to the kitchen and finish to prepare the food? It’s a complicated situation even with regular guests. Now imagine that your guests are high ranking personalities from religion or society… or even Jesus himself! What would you do? Would you act like Martha and anticipate your guests’ desires by serving them food and drinks? Or would you stop like Mary and be fully present to Jesus and his words? How should we welcome the Lord in our lives? Through ministry, service to the poor and many activities? Or through prayer, contemplation and reflection?

I just came back from a 4-day summer gathering of the Focolare Movement that we call the Mariapolis (“City of Mary”). More than 500 people came to Valparaiso, IN to share their lives and their faith. I met people of different ages, professions and vocations who are serious about their call to discipleship and together we built this temporary “city” as a home for Jesus among us. My task was to take care of a group of 33 teenage girls and provide a program for them while their parents were in the main hall for the different presentations. Yes – it was a busy weekend and I didn’t get a lot of rest or quiet time. Yet when I got back I felt like I was returning from a retreat. I felt a deep joy in my heart and a new presence of God in my life. In the midst of all the different activities there was the presence of Jesus who has promised to be among us wherever there are two or three people gathered in his name, which means in his love. I think during those days, I was Martha and I was Mary. I was a contemplative in action and an activist in contemplation.

“There is need of only one thing,” Jesus says to Martha. “Mary has chosen the better part.” But what is the better part? When the three divine visitors come to visit Abraham, he jumps to his feet, greets his guests and puts his whole family to work to prepare an appropriate meal for them. Little does he know that the three visitors came to fulfill a promise that he had received only a few days earlier: to be the father of many nations. "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." And even if this promise makes Sarah laugh in disbelief, it is exactly what happens, because nothing “is … too marvelous for the LORD to do.” (Gen 18:14) Abraham has given up everything out of love for his God and God has made a covenant with Abraham and his offspring. Abraham welcomed the Lord with love and generosity and the Lord continued to be present to him and the people of Israel.

There may be many possible interpretations of the episode with Mary and Martha. We can be sure that Jesus did not intend to say that prayer and contemplation are more important than service. But there is one question that we should ask ourselves, especially in our times when our calendars are full with activities that may or may not be related to our faith and our commitment as disciples of Jesus: What is the “only thing necessary?” Why am I doing what I am doing? Is my motivation to please God and get something in return? Is it to gain the respect and admiration of the people around me? Or am I ready too, to give up everything out of love for Jesus and follow him? Jesus said that all his commandments can be summed up in the New Commandment: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

It’s our love for God and our brothers and sisters that can make all the difference. We can be busy doing many works of charity that all have to do with God, without ever loving God for God’s self. We can be out all day to serve the poor and react impatiently to our roommates and family members when we come back. We can be so caught up in our activities that we don’t find any quiet time to listen to God and God’s words and lose touch with the main reason for our ministry. It is our love that opens the door for the Lord. And we can welcome the Lord in our daily lives, in our homes, in our offices and classrooms if we listen to God’s words in our hearts; if we put a loving intention in whatever we do; if we give up our own plans in order to follow God’s call in our lives.

Jesus did many things in his life, but he showed his immense love when he gave up is life on the cross for us. This is what we remember in every Eucharist we celebrate. Love is the only thing necessary, in whatever we do. In action and in contemplation, let us be open to God’s words and listen to his promises and we will discover that also today, nothing is too marvelous for God.

Birgit Oberhofer

Image by www.BiblePictureGallery.com

Share your comments, questions, reflections with the CoC community on facebook.