Think about it this way | PadreCast Sixteenth Sunday Ordinary Time

2022-07-17

"... Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her." It is precisely because of this passage in scripture that the Church teaches that the highest vocation, the highest action you can perform in life outside of the sacraments themselves, is meditation. Here is Mary, sitting there, listening to Jesus speak. Now our Lord does not say, "Martha, Martha loving and serving your neighbor is not good", He doesn't say that. He says in comparison, your acts of love and service, as good and high and exalted as they are, are not as exalted as this: to sit at the feet of the Master and listen to His word. So it is not surprising that in the history of the Church that religious orders have sprung up, not...

"... Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her."

It is precisely because of this passage in scripture that the Church teaches that the highest vocation, the highest action you can perform in life outside of the sacraments themselves, is meditation.

Here is Mary, sitting there, listening to Jesus speak. Now our Lord does not say, "Martha, Martha loving and serving your neighbor is not good", He doesn't say that. He says in comparison, your acts of love and service, as good and high and exalted as they are, are not as exalted as this: to sit at the feet of the Master and listen to His word. So it is not surprising that in the history of the Church that religious orders have sprung up, not focusing on serving the poor and the needy, but on prayer and meditation.

Why is it true -Jesus said it, it has to be true - that mediation is superior to acts of service? . . .

Knowledge precedes love. Love may be superior in the grand scheme of things, but knowledge is more primary. Until you know, you cannot act properly. Since knowledge is primary - it comes first, even before acts of love - it is the first thing that each of us must do in order to love properly.

Now, the greatest thing we can know is God. There is nothing greater than God's self-revelation. So contemplation, meditation on God, on His words, on His actions; reflection upon these things is the first - the primary - goal that each of us has.

Ultimately, these religious communities of men and women, they want to love God better. That's why they spend so much time thinking about Him. Contemplating who He is, what He wants form them. And it's a lifetime pursuit. You never get done with it because God is infinite, there's always more to learn. . . .

You cannot grow deeper in your relationship with the Lord without mediation. You can't. It's just not possible.

Father Miller proceeds outline serval pointers
which will help us begin or deepen our own times of meditation.

Gn 18:1-10a; Ps 15:2-5; Col 1:24-28; Lk 10:38-42

You may watch the Mass in its entirety on our YouTube channel. Homily begins at 18:55.

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