Homily for Tuesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time

In today's familiar Gospel story, we hear about Martha working hard to prepare a meal for Jesus and His friends. When she questions whether Jesus cares that her sister Mary is not helping her, He declares that Mary has chosen the better part and will not be taken from her. That seems rather unjust to Martha.

Jesus was not opposed to people working hard in the service of others: In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which we heard during yesterday's Mass, He commended the man's mercy and compassion when he cared for the man who was the robbers' victim. But, as the book of Ecclesiastes says, "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1)." So, there is a time to be active and a time to be quiet, reflective, and sit with open ears, hearts, and minds, to hear the Lord's voice.

When visiting Mary and Martha, Jesus saw it as a time for them to listen to what He had to say. Mary realized that this was the kind of hospitality Jesus wanted on this occasion: the hospitality of listening rather than the hospitality of serving. Mary was more attuned to what the LORD wanted than Martha. Wisdom consists in understanding when it's time to be active and busy in the LORD'S service and when it is time simply to sit and listen to His Word.