Tuesday, July 28, 2009

St Martha, 29.07.09

1st Reading: 1 John 4:7-16
Gospel: John 11:19-27

Some people in church are described as Marthas because they are so task-oriented and work-oriented, just like St Martha.

We have that impression of St Martha because we will recall that on one occasion when Jesus came to her home, she was caught up with all the serving and the work.

Then she got distracted and asked Jesus to get her sister Mary to help her.

Jesus told her that she worry and fret about too many things, and yet only one is important.

So what is that one important thing? Earlier I said that Martha was distracted; that was what the gospel said.

Martha was not so much distracted by her work, but she lost the focus on why, and also who she was doing it for.

I guess Martha must have remembered this lesson from Jesus, and so despite the grief and sadness over her brother's death, she did not give in to distractions but kept her focus on Jesus.

In doing so, she expressed a unique statement of faith. She proclaimed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God.

Martha was still the active, busy, work-oriented, task-oriented person.

But she also kept her focus on Jesus and slowly discovered who Jesus really.

In many ways, we are like Martha, busy and work-oriented.

But if we realised that we are often complaining, then let us know we are distracted and have lost focus on Jesus.

But when we make time for prayer to re-focus on Jesus, then we will know why we are doing what we are doing, and who we are doing for.