Help me to trust in you alone, God

Pause for Prayer

Scripture:  Luke 10:38-42

Reflection:  Guests are coming round and we want to impress.  The house is turned upside down and inside out as we ferret out every fuzz ball.  The toilet glistens and all is tidy.  The dusting and hoovering done, the table is laid out with the fine china and sparkling crystal.  We’re preparing mouth watering cuisine which has required several test runs to make sure we could do it.  By the time our guests have come and gone we are left facing a mountain of washing up and collapse into bed.  In our exhaustion we realise that we didn’t really have good quality conversation. 

            Martha set out to give her best for Jesus.  She threw open the door of welcome and put all her energy into serving Jesus.  The worst of it was that Mary didn’t lift a finger to help.  All she did was sit there hanging on Jesus’ words.  Martha was overwhelmed by what she had to do, her mind distracted, flitting from task to task.  Was she fuming at the sight of her sister who, though there was so much to do, was listening to Jesus?  Did she silently resent Jesus for letting her sister sit idly by?

            Martha explodes, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to help me.”  She does not receive the response she expects.  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

            Slogans such as, “Don’t just think about it.  Do it!” imply that action is supremely valuable.  Some monastic communities have been criticised, “Of what use is it to be cloistered away in prayer?  How does it further the kingdom of God?” 

            Jesus is not decrying action.  Instead he is encouraging listening to the word as the soil from which our doing grows.  As a young boy in the temple Jesus amazed the teachers by the way he listened and asked questions.

            If you’ve ever attempted to be still in prayer you will know the buzzing distractions of the mind.  Silence brings to mind all our worries.  We think of what we have to do.  Do not give up.  Sit at the feet of Jesus daily and listen to his words.

Prayer:  Lord, I behave as if everything depends on me.  If I don’t do it then no one else will.  If I don’t do it then it won’t be done properly.  Forgive my pride and help me to trust you alone.  Take the worries and distractions from me and give me the grace to listen to your voice in the silence.  Amen.