Guest

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Guest

Mary     Martha

Welcoming    Ministering     Choosing

Need Of One Thing

Reciprocity

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 10:38-42

Jesus came into a town and was warmly welcomed by a woman named Martha. She had a sister, Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His every word.

Martha was busy making a good meal and so she approached Jesus and said, "Lord, aren't you upset that Mary isn't helping me prepare the meal? Tell her to assist me."

Jesus said to her,"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about this. You only need to focus on one thing. Mary has chosen the better path and no one will take it away from her."

Reflection

Are you a Martha?

Do you worry and get upset about things? Do you enjoy waiting on people who come to your home? Do you like to cook for others?

Are you a Mary?

Are you attracted to prayer? Do you like to spend time with Jesus? Do you enjoy going to adoration and spending time in contemplative prayer?

Maybe you are a combination.

What we see in this passage from Luke is the two ways of welcoming a guest. Martha welcomes Jesus first and invites Him into their home. She probably has heard a lot about Jesus and all the mighty deeds he had done. 

She wants to impress Him with a good meal and is working hard to put it all together. 

Mary has another way of welcoming their guest. She is listening to Jesus. 

When you come into a home and the host or hostess hangs on your every word, you feel special. You feel that she or he really cares about you and is very interested in what you have to say.

There is an amazing reciprocity here---a mutual giving to Jesus from both sisters. What a beautiful scene.

We can easily understand why Martha is upset. She can use a hand in the kitchen. There is a lot of work to preparing a good meal.

It is the anxiety and the worry that Jesus wants to address. If you really know Jesus, it isn't the physical food that is primary. Jesus will feed the sisters on His Word----just as He feeds us.

We only really need one thing.

To truly listen to our Guest---Jesus.

What could be better?

1. What is your key in welcoming Jesus into your life?

2. Do you relate more to Martha or Mary? 

3. How do you feel when someone hangs on your every word?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)