XVIth Sunday in ordinary time.

XVIth Sunday : GEN. 18: 1-10 : COL. 1: 24-28,: LUKE 10: 38-42

There is an ancient Scottish legend that tells the story of a shepherd boy tending a few straggling sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower -- one that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. He knelt down upon his knees and scooped the flower in his hands and held it close to his eyes, drinking in its beauty. As he held the flower close to his face, suddenly he heard a noise and looked up before him. There he saw a great stone mountain opening up right before his eyes. And as the sun began to shine on the inside of the mountain, he saw the sprinkling of the beautiful gems and precious metals that it contained.

With the flower in his hands, he walked inside. Laying the flower down, he began to gather all the gold and silver and precious gems in his arms. Finally with all that his arms could carry, he turned and began to walk out of that great cavern, and suddenly a voice said to him, "Don't forget the best." Thinking that perhaps he had overlooked some choice piece of treasure, he turned around again and picked up additional pieces of priceless treasure. And with his arms literally overflowing with wealth, he turned to walk back out of the great mountainous vault. And again the voice said, "Don't forget the best."

But by this time his arms were filled and he walked on outside, and all of a sudden, the precious metals and stones turned to dust. And he looked around in time to see the great stone mountain closing its doors again. A third time he heard the voice, and this time the voice said, "You forgot the best. For the beautiful flower is the key to the vault of the mountain."
The key to the Christian life is SETTING PRIORITIES: Jesus Christ first, then everything else. The only way really to learn that lesson is to spend some time every day, "sitting at the feet of Jesus." Today’s first reading describes how Abraham’s and Sarah’s hospitality to strangers was rewarded by God. The gospel passage describes how Martha wanted to extend the traditional generous hospitality to Jesus, by preparing an elaborate meal for him, while her sister Mary spent her time in talking to him and listening to him.
Jesus loved both Martha and Mary. They knew him well enough to invite him to dinner. Martha was so comfortable with him that she didn't think twice about involving him in her family squabble. The atmosphere is casual, friendly - almost like a barbecue. Martha is doing all the work, and Mary is just sitting at Christ's feet listening to him converse with the Apostles. It's understandable that Martha would get perturbed. Feeding 15 people is no small task, and she could have used her sister's help. So she tries to get Jesus to tell Mary to lend a hand. But Jesus doesn't. He actually commends Mary and reproves Martha. Why? Christ was glad to be served, but he was even gladder to be loved. He yearns for our love.
Jesus did not intend to belittle Martha and her activity, but rather to show that hearing the word of God is the foundation of all action, that the word of God must permeate all other concerns. The highest priority must be given to listening to the word. Prayer and actions must be continuous, complementary and mutually dependent. Prayer without action is sterile, and action without prayer is empty. We are expected to be "contemplative in action" because only those who listen carefully to the Word of God know how to behave in the way that God wants. That is why Jesus reminds Martha that proper service for him is attention to his instruction, not an elaborate provision for his physical needs.
The point of the story of Jesus with May and Martha is not to invite us to choose between being a Martha or a Mary. The true disciple needs to be both Martha and Mary. The point of the story is to challenge our priorities so that we come to see that fellowship with the Lord, being with the Lord and hearing his word should always precede the work we do for the Lord. Do we have a program of daily fellowship with the Lord? Many people fulfill this by assisting daily in the Eucharist where they can also hear the word of God. Others schedule a holy hour or quiet time when they can pray and read the word of God. Whatever way we fulfill this need, today’s gospel invites all Christians first to be a Mary who sits with devotion at the Lord’s feet listening his word, and then also to be a Martha who throws herself with energy into the business of serving the Lord.
Some single men in a Bible study group were discussing who would make the better wife--Martha or Mary. One fellow said, "Well, I think Martha would make the better wife. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It sounds like Martha surely knew how to cook. I would love to be married to a woman like that!" Another man said, "I think Mary would make the better wife. She was always so thoughtful, sweet and loving. I could be very happy married to a woman like Mary!" Finally, another fellow settled the argument when he said, "Well, I would like to be married to both of them. I would like Martha before supper and Mary after supper."
We need listening Marthas and serving Marys. Our world needs such men, women, boys and girls who get the job done. This is certainly true in the church. The same is true with the family. We need responsible people to do the work in the house: to cook, to clean, to keep the house operating, to pay the bills, to keep the cars running, not to speak of rearing the children and loving the spouse. But we must find time to listen to God speaking to us through His word and time to talk to God. Jesus clearly said: be hearers and doers of the word. Jesus never reversed that order.
This morning, we have all chosen to come and listen to the Lord. What will we choose tomorrow morning? Tuesday? Jesus is hoping that we will continue to choose this "better part". It isn't hard. It's a matter of spending ten minutes with him before getting distracted with the day's activities. It could be ten minutes of reading and reflecting on a passage from the Bible or a paragraph from a book of Christian meditations. It could be praying a decade or two of the Rosary before we turn on the morning news show.
Jesus wants us to choose the better part, to depend more on him than ourselves, so that he can give us his best. Today, let's promise that we will.