Homily for Tuesday, 8 October 2013– Ferial

This homily was given during a Communion Service at an assisted living facility for seniors within St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish.

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Tuesday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8; Luke 10:38-42

Does anyone here recall a time when you have felt uncomfortable in the presence of a person in authority, even if that person in authority is not particularly demanding or stern? Has anyone here ever felt ill at ease in the presence of God, or asked what you can do to please God? If your answer is yes to either question, you are not alone.

We have Martha in today’s Gospel reading as an example of someone who was not quite at ease in the presence of Jesus. She is the hard-working servant, always on the go, wanting to impress Jesus with her work ethic, who becomes overburdened with all the serving, until she demands that Jesus tell her sister Mary to help her.

Meanwhile, Martha’s counterpart, Mary, is sitting, totally at ease with Jesus, “listening to him speak.” In response to Martha’s demand that Mary help her with the serving, Jesus makes an essential point: “Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.”

Martha did not do anything wrong or sinful in this encounter with Jesus. In fact, based on this story in Luke’s Gospel, St. Martha is recognized as a patron saint of the unemployed, along with homemakers, servers in restaurants, butlers, cooks, and all single laywomen. When I lived and taught high school in Cali, Colombia two summers ago, we had the Mass of St. Martha every Tuesday to pray through St. Martha’s intercession for the unemployed and underemployed, that they might find dignified work.

But Jesus reminds Martha, and us, that life is more than just work and trying to please others, or even trying to please God, by our labors. The essence of life is simply being in the presence of God; of Christ, at ease, listening attentively and prayerfully.

This is why Jesus says that Mary chose “the better part.” And so we are gathered here at this Communion Service in the presence of Christ, who gives himself to us in the Eucharist. We have listened to the Word of God. We will now receive Christ in the Eucharist. We have chosen the better part.

Sts. Mary and Martha, pray for us.