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-I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and 8am and 11am on Sunday
Are you in it or just doing it?
The Gospel text of Martha and Mary is a classic and it has been the center of some serious debate about the spiritual lives of Catholics. For centuries the life of Mary has been the model of the "contemplative or religious life". Martha, to the contrary, has been the model of the "active life".
The problem with this stark distinction is obvious inasmuch as one might presume that all the "active" people do not have a sensitive heart listening to Jesus while all those who have a listening and sensitive heart to Jesus cannot be active.
In the latest generation I am pretty much convinced that the answer is not either/or but both/and - those who have an active life have a deep connection of a heart attached to Jesus and those who have an explicitly contemplative life/religious life must have love and service to one's neighbor.
So the question for each of us regardless of our life style or vocation must be asked, "are we "in it" or are we just "working it"? Whatever your "it" is, are you in the communion of God who is love?
Let me know how this sounds to all of you Marthas and Marys!
3 comments:
Well I would have to say I am working on being both. In the past though I was definitely a Martha. Things had to be a certain way and that came before making people feel comfortable myself included. It was about the presentation or at least my perception of what would be pleasing to others.
Now I am working on the idea that it's not 'what's on the plate, but it is about 'who' is around the table.
I like the explanation of "both/and" and find it very helpful. As I think about my own life I am seeing that I'm having to work at refining it to "both together/and each separate".
Because, I am wondering, can I be fooled into thinking that it is "enough" to lead an active life and - while active - to connect my heart with Jesus? I think that I could be tempted to think that if I make my "doing" also my "praying", then quiet, solitude, and contemplation isn't necessary. It is probably one of my favorite things that I take away from studying Blessed Mother Theresa: "If you want to pray better, pray more" - and she made room for both active and quite prayer in her life.
Because of my tendency for action, it is natural for me to understand Scripture, such as "Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead". I am able to make connection of the work of my hands with my love for Jesus and His teaching. But, in addition, I have to discipline myself to always take time for solitude where I will also find rich communion and sweet love with Him.
Service (action) is good, but being contemplative (praying or being reflective) before, during and after enhances the service. While the action might be difficult, or joyful or even sad in the human sense, it should be/must be done from the heart as an expression of the Holy Spirit. Even when it seems a chore to serve, if done through the Spirit our hearts will be full. This fullness of heart will lead us to further contemplation and prayers of thanks for the service. It is in the giving of the heart that we receive.
On the other side, even if we serve and the action is not well received, if done in the Spirit, we will again think about and pray for guidance.
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