Every time we hear this story of Martha and Mary, I always find myself thinking that Martha really gets a bad rap here. Let’s look at what’s happening: she’s the one running around, making sure the house is clean, the food is ready, the table is set just right – and all of that is because the most important person in the world, Jesus, is in her house. She’s not ignoring the Lord. She’s doing all of this for Him. It’s not selfish. It’s service.

So where does the tension enter? What’s about that? The problem with Martha is that in the middle of her good work, her heart becomes anxious and resentful. She gets frustrated that Mary is just sitting there at the feet of Jesus, seemingly doing nothing, listening to the Lord speak. And so, Martha says what I think many of us would say: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

And Jesus surprises her by responding with gentleness and clarity but challenging, nonetheless, telling Martha that she is worrying about things that aren’t the most important things in the bigger picture. He tells her that “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Notice what the Lord doesn’t say…He doesn’t tell Martha that her work is bad. He doesn’t say she should never serve. He reminds her, and in doing so reminds us, that what Mary is doing – sitting, listening, being with the Lord – is the better part.

Now, we also have to be honest here: we need Marthas. The world doesn’t run without Marthas. Our parish wouldn’t run without Marthas. Families don’t run without Marthas. If everyone sat around like Mary all the time, nothing would get done. And the Lord isn’t telling us that should be the case, either.

But the deeper issue is not about whether we’re a “Martha” or a “Mary.” The real question is: do we focus on what is truly important? When was the last time we stopped long enough to really sit at the feet of Jesus and simply listen to Him?

If we’re completely honest with ourselves, many of us are living Martha lives with little to no Mary moments. Think about what we fill our time with. We are over scheduled with meetings, appointments, errands. We are constantly bombarded with phone calls, text messages, and emails. We feel pressured to attend every social event possible, to make sure we get invited to that one party. We worry about how we’re doing financially, what other people have, what other people think about us. And then we wonder why we feel disconnected from God or spiritually dry? It’s because prayer has become an afterthought instead of the anchor. And this is true for all of us, myself included. We have to constantly reevaluate our priorities.

It’s not that we don’t love the Lord. We do. Martha loved Jesus. It’s that we get so caught up with and busy doing things for Him – or in some cases, for ourselves selfishly – that we forget to spend time with the Lord, we run out of time to just be in His presence and listen to His voice.

So, let’s change that. Here’s our homework assignment for the week:

Take at least 10 minutes each day to sit quietly and be present to Jesus. No phone. No distractions. No background music. You can come to the adoration chapel or find a quiet place at home or in the park. But simply be with Jesus. Read a short passage from the Gospels. Reflect. Listen. You don’t have to say much. Just be with Him. The Lord wants us to make Him a priority. He wants our time – not just our leftovers.

So, this week, in the middle of our Martha-like responsibilities, let’s not forget to pause and be still with the Lord. Because Jesus is in our house, too. And He’s not looking for the perfect meal or a flawless table – He’s looking for a heart that’s willing to sit at His feet. May we give Him that gift, starting today.

Painting: Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, 1628, by Jan Bruegel and Peter Paul Rubens. In the National Gallery of Ireland. Wikimedia Commons. Used under public domain.