16th Sunday c: Martha, Martha

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For this week’s homily please play the video below.

3 thoughts on “16th Sunday c: Martha, Martha”

  1. Gloria's avatarGloria

    Dear Fr . Victor,
    I remember sitting on the bench in the September sunshine outside St. Mary’s near the statue of Dorothy Day with a dear friend who was disturbed after hearing this gospel reading from St. Luke during Mass. I have also felt the same way over the years as have other women I know. One day I recalled that Sunday morning and the conversation with my friend, and I wrote the attached poem. Your quotes from
    St. Augustine answered our questions. Gloria

    But What About Martha?

    Their dear friend Jesus stopped to visit
    Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus,
    along with twelve of his closest friends.
    Would they provide them with food and lodging?
    Of course they would.

    That involved a lot preparation.
    The house had to be cleaned.
    Sleeping accommodations had to be provided.
    Food for a large gathering had to be cooked.
    Most likely the sisters were extremely busy.

    After their guests arrived and were greeted,
    they all gathered around Jesus, including Mary,
    leaving her sister Martha with all the work.
    Lazarus, as was the custom of the men of the time,
    probably joined the group around Jesus.

    An overwhelmed Martha went to Jesus.
    She asked him if he cared that she was left alone
    and told him to send Mary back to help her.
    But Jesus told Martha that she was distressed
    about all the many things she had to do.
    He said that Mary had chosen the better part
    and it would not be taken from her.

    But what about Martha?
    What could she do?
    She couldn’t simply walk away from her work
    and sit at the feet of Jesus beside Mary
    and choose the better part.

    She had a large group to feed and shelter.
    Wasn’t that God’s work also?
    Wasn’t her labor a gift to God?
    Wasn’t her hospitality her God-given gift?
    Weren’t all these things her better part?

    But….what about Martha?

    Gloria Ziemienski 2015

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  3. steinmillerusa's avatarsteinmillerusa

    Yes the “active*” life will be taken away along with the present age in eternity.
    But,
    The contemplative life is prolonged into eternity in our homeland. When we “see” the object of our contemplation there will be a new outburst. St. Gregory says ” the contemplative life calls us back to activity, for it bbn understands that the labor of good works must never be abandoned while we are in this life.c

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