Coffee With God

Reflection: Luke 10: 38-42

In our parishes, we find many of our friends who come to Mass on Sundays, but are always busy. They have no time for their family, no time to play with their children. It happens to priests and religious too. We are too busy with many of our projects and in the end we become worshippers of this religion of our busy-ness: In Jesus’s conversation with Martha, he teaches her and in turn all his disciples, and important lesson: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing” (v. 41). What is this one thing that we need? The style of these two sisters – Martha and Mary – receiving Jesus in their home describes two important aspects of our own relationship with Jesus: Listening to the word of the Lord, contemplation, and practical service to our neighbour. In bustling about and busying herself, Martha risks forgetting the most important thing – the presence of the guest – Jesus. A guest is not merely to be served, fed, looked after in every way. Most importantly he ought to be listened to. If you have no time to listen to a guest who visits your home, it would be better for you to arrange a good hotel for his/her stay. A guest comes to your home to meet you. Same is the case with the Lord: when he comes home, remember this word: Listen! Jesus’ response to Martha that there is only one thing that needs to be done — finds its full significance in listening to the very word of Jesus, that word which illuminates and supports all that we are and what we do. Not much is necessary to welcome Jesus; indeed, only one thing is needed: listen to him —let him realize he is among family and not in a temporary shelter. Martha considered what she was doing, was the most essential thing to do; she was too absorbed and worried by the things “to do”. But For a Christian, works of service and charity are to be rooted in listening to God’s Word. We need to be — like Mary — at the feet of Jesus, with the attitude of a disciple. Explaining this passage to a gathering of families, Pope Francis raised these questions, which we must ask ourselves today. “Do you, husband, take time to listen to your wife? And do you, woman, take time to listen to your husband? Do you, parents, take time, time to “waste”, to listen to your children? or your grandparents, the elderly? — “But grandparents always say the same things, they are boring…” — But they need to be listened to! Listen. I ask that you learn to listen and to devote more of your time. The root of peace lies in the capacity to listen.