October 5, 2004

Dear Friends,

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things…” (Lk. 11:41)

Whenever I read or hear these words from the Gospel, I often picture Our Lord offering Martha this mild rebuke with a slight smile on His lips while shaking His head.

The scene is all too human. Jesus is spending some time with His friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha. I could well imagine that Jesus dropped by unexpectedly as often happens with good friends. Martha, the go-getter, gets into gear and runs into the kitchen while her laid-back sister Mary stays in idle sitting at the feet of Our Lord. Martha, meanwhile, does her best to say to her sister, “get in here and help me!” by banging the flour jug on the table and loudly chopping the kindling wood. I could imagine Martha occasionally going to the doorway attempting to catch her sister’s attention; but there Mary sat laughing with the Lord. The kettle wasn’t the only thing steaming in the kitchen!

Yes, centuries change, but not situations like this. Which one of us hasn’t at times found ourselves in a situation where a family member has not only left us holding the bag, but also the short end of the stick. It is very painful when we fall victim to our own. The very people who should know better can at times be the most ungrateful of our efforts and insensitive to our needs.

When Martha could take no more, she complained, “Lord, do you not care…” Certainly we all have prayed such a prayer! Of course God cares. He sees everything, yet He does much more than just see our situation – He steps into it. Yes, God knows what it’s like to suffer – especially from His own – from those “who should know better”. His own townsfolk wanted to hurl Him over a hill. The pious people and the clergy religiously hounded Him, and even some relatives thought He had gone mad. Yet, despite it all, Christ didn’t complain. He kept His course, and quietly did what the Father asked Him to do. He did this as an example for us. Today’s thought: Did He do this in vain?

Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
Community servant, residing at St. Felix Friary in Yonkers
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