September 30, 2010, Homily October 5, 2010.

Luke 10: 38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

The Gospel of the Lord.

These past four days my wife Deann and I have been babysitting our four grandchildren in New Jersey. The youngest is our grandson Tucker five years old. Tucker asked Deann, "Grandma Dee, why am I a boy?" Deann just looked at him speechless, and Tucker added, "I know that you are going to tell me that 'I am a boy, because God decided to make me a boy.' But why does God make all the big decisions?"

This Gospel answers that question. Martha asks, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?" And Jesus by His answer show that He does care. First, He addresses her by her name "Martha" and again "Martha". To address a person by their name show that one cares. And then Jesus shows that He has observed Martha: "you are anxious and worried about many things". And to observe a person shows that one cares.

Then Jesus says,

"There is need of only one thing." What is that "one thing". the lead-in to the Gospel says "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." That suggests the answer.

Then Jesus says, "Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken away from her. "[t]the "better part of what"? "[T]he better part of what [whole}." The whole is to hear the word of God and to observe it. When we hear the Word of God we inhale, and when we observe the Word we exhale. We inhale the Word and exhale the works. Benedict's "Laborare es orare". Work is prayer.