There Is Need of Only One Thing

"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."
~ Luke 10:38-42

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, Jan Vermeer c. 1654-1656

For the longest time, this gospel story puzzled me. How could Jesus rebuke Martha for preparing and serving dinner, when her sister lounged around adoring Our Lord? "Mary has chosen the better part?" Really? Was Our Lord planning to provide some loaves and fishes, perhaps, if Martha skipped out on kitchen duty?

I'm learning, of course, that this story is about balance. Work and prayer. Work as prayer. Contemplation in the midst of work or, even, prayer in the midst of chaos--a concept every busy mom grapples with daily.

The thing is to offer all my work and all the chaos to Him. To wholeheartedly love the Lord like Mary while working like Martha. And even to pursue holiness, not in spite of my work, but through my work. As St. Josemaria says, "Your work must become a personal prayer, must become a real conversation with Our Father in heaven" and "He waits for us every day, in the laboratory, in the operating theater, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home, and in all the immense panorama of work."

In John 11:24-27 we see Martha again after the death of her brother Lazarus. She says, "I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you…. Yes, Lord…I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.” Obviously, Martha's love for Jesus is complete, and she is a great disciple of Our Lord.

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things." Perhaps Jesus' words to Martha are not so much a rebuke as a consolation. He's not suggesting that she not work; he's suggesting that she not worry. When we're busy on the outside, we can still be at peace on the inside, and always in love with our Lord, who fulfills all the deepest desires of our hearts.

For another beautiful piece of art related to the story of Mary and Martha, and a phenomenal reflection for St. Martha's feast day, check out Fr. Z's commentary from today.

Updated: Here is an AWESOME take on this post, which contradicts my above referral to "balance." Indeed, prayer comes first, and work follows from that. We must have both, but not confuse our priorities. See...I'll never stop contemplating and learning about this amazing story of our Lord!