Updating the story of Martha and Mary

THERE’S a great need to update the story of Martha and Mary (cfr. Lk 10,38-42) if only to relish once again the important lesson it imparts to us, especially nowadays when we can do a lot of good things and pursue high worldly ideals, and yet miss what is truly and ultimately important and necessary for us.

Yes, like Martha, we can be doing a lot of good things and pursuing high temporal ideals, like efficiency, effectiveness, profitability, etc., and yet miss the one thing necessary that Christ told Martha.

The precious lesson the story of the two sisters offers us is that of seeing to it that everything that we do is always for the glory of God. That motive should the first, last and constant intention of all our thoughts, words and deeds. It should be not dislodged by any other motive, no matter how legitimate in human terms it is, and how urgent it is.

Our thoughts, words and deeds would lose their real value when they are not inspired by our love for God which should drive us to do everything for God’s glory. Let’s remember what St. Paul said in this regard: “Whether you eat or drink, or if you do anything, you shall do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31)

The story of the two sisters reminds us that we have to give priority to prayer in the sense that everything that we do, no matter how mundane it is as long as it is honest, should be converted into some form of prayer, that is, into a way of engaging with God, giving him all the glory that is due him.

The immediate basis for this truth is what Christ himself said: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Mt 16,26) That’s because prayer is like the breathing and the heartbeat of our spiritual organism, of our soul. Just as we continue to breathe and just as our heart continues to beat even while we are unconscious in our sleep, so should our prayer be.

To be sure, this is possible and doable, because praying does not even need a bodily organ for it to be done. It is a spiritual operation that can transcend the use of our bodily faculties. It’s a matter of attitude, of belief, which we can always have even if it is not expressly articulated.

As such, it can be done in any situation—while we are working, playing, resting, etc. But it would be good that we spend some time doing nothing other than praying, directly engaging God in a loving conversation, because that would help us to be prayerful in all our other activities and situations in life.

We cannot deny that the world nowadays is getting deeply immersed in worldly and temporal affairs, but often at the expense of forgetting God. This is a terrible deal that we are having. All our affairs and concerns should lead us to God or at least engage us with him, not separate us from him.

Let us always remember that it is God who will give us everything, but we have to have the proper priorities. Let’s never forget what he said: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” (Mt 6,33)