Martha and Mary, The Better Part

Friends of Faith:

 I’ve been feeling a little disconnected from God and overwhelmed by busyness. And while I realize in today’s world with all the distractions it’s probably not uncommon, it’s still difficult to get back on track. 

Andy sent me his “bulletin insert” for next week (he recently transferred as associate pastor at Resurrection parish in Dubuque to Pastor at Nativity Parish in Dubuque) and it made me realize that no matter where we are in life sometimes we just need a boost – for me his article – which I sought his permission to share with all of you.

 “On Tuesday, one week after I had started as Pastor, I was walking into the church and I realized that besides the Masses I had celebrated and the time in the confessional, I really hadn’t spent much time praying in the main body of the church, hadn’t taken the time for a Holy Hour, etc.

 “It made me realize that I had spent my first week being much like Martha, busy with many things, and not much like Mary, prayerful and reflective at the feet of Jesus.  Naturally, that realization made me stop and reflect on the situation, wondering “Why does Mary have the better part?  There is so much to get done, all of the time...”

 “Mary has chosen the better part because there will always be things to do, but there will not always be this time, right now, to be with Jesus, to learn from Him, to grow to be holier, to move closer towards the Kingdom of God.  Mary experienced this in a very direct way, but we experience it too.

 “Every day we have that choice too, whether we will take time in prayer or if we will let our busyness take over.  Realistically, we have to get some work done, so we can’t be like Mary all of the time, but we should try to carve out some time.

 “How much time is enough?  Well, it varies from person to person, situation to situation, but I believe God asks us not just to tithe our money, but to tithe our whole lives.  So, just for the sake of easy math, if we are awake for 15 hours a day, it seems reasonable to take 10% of that or one and a half hours and spend it in prayer, which could be attending daily Mass, doing spiritual reading, praying devotions, or just praying from the heart.

 “Take some time to stop and reflect on your situation.  We need not bite off more than we can chew, but start gradually.  I didn’t stop to do a Holy Hour, I took fifteen minutes right then and twenty minutes later, but the realization of that need to spend time at the feet of Jesus is the first step towards a holier and more joy-filled life.”

So for all of you Martha’s, May you all take the time to find peace and joy and be a little more like Mary this week!

Blessings,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

Focus on the Better Part

Women of Faith:

I have focused this past week yet again on my family. My co-workers probably think I have deserted them, but I know work will still be there when the grandkids return to Colorado to start school in what will be just a short time.

It is always difficult and a mind struggle however to be torn between “hanging out” and playing when you know there is work to be done. My focus is divided, but I often remind myself when I am divided—division equals the devil’s intrusion.

So what is the right answer, the better part, the choice that God would choose for me?

I find my solution in this question: “If I only had a day to live, or if I had one regret, what would it be?” I don’t want my own answer to be what I think is often the most regretful answer, and that is: “I didn’t spend enough time with my spouse or/and my family (or I mistreated them in some way, by some lack of forgiveness, or through some misunderstanding.)”

And I think this is a part of what God tries to tell us that in the famous Mary/Martha story: “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.” Lk 10: 38-42

Will we regret not having spent enough time with God? Someday will we ask ourselves: “Would I have received more answers to life’s challenges if I had prayed and listened more to God, instead of listening to the classic “everyone else is doing it” answer?”

God’s ultimate gift is forgiveness and mercy—to whom do I fail to give the same better part? Who is my first neighbor? Does my family come before work, or does my desire to be noticed in the world out rank the better part?

I hope that my focus is always on God first. For with God: all things are possible, God is the bearer of all good gifts, and God’s will for me is always the right choice for me.

There is a fine line between working to do God’s will and working to do what I want to do for myself. Without prayer (asking AND listening) to God it is difficult to know what the better part is that God wants me to chose.

Heavenly Father, You are the best part. Thank You for giving me the gift to know and trust You. Help me to always have the courage to allow you to be the better part of my decisions. Teach me to pray and to listen to Your call instead of answering the world. Help me to always choose the better part by following You and by serving those whom you place in my path. Amen.

Today and every day let us focus on the better part: the all powerful, the all truthful, the all knowing, wisdom, strength, courage, forgiveness and mercy that is the Spirit of God.

In the Spirit of Christ,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

Smelling Roses

Friends of Faith:

Smelling roses in January may seem a little odd, but that is why I love snow and ice days, because it allows me an opportunity to STOP for more than just an hour at church. The ice yesterday, gave me an opportunity to “stop and smell the roses” to stay home, to rest and to enjoy a day of relaxation.

“Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep”—for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!” Neh 8: 8-10

But doesn’t it seem sad that we have to be “forced” to slow down, to do nothing, to stay home—to keep holy the Sabbath—not just one hour that I would have designated for church, but the entire day. Is history repeating itself “for the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law?”

Was I saddened because my plans for Sunday were cancelled, and I HAD to “rest” on the Sabbath?  Did I regret that church might be cancelled and I might not be able to spend time in a place of worship? Or was I frustrated or regretful because I realized the “law”—God’s law-- was going to be carried out without my control, beyond my control, and in HIS control –with an ice storm.

I personally felt true joy when Stan said it was still possible to go to church and I rejoiced because I was blessed to be able to dine with Jesus in receiving the Eucharist. Not only did I have the opportunity to spend time in the rose garden, but I was able to smell the roses in rest for the entire day.

Because everything in the secular world  was cancelled or postponed I felt a sense of peace that I did not even have to make a choice that I could just spend the day as it was originally intended when God created it—in rest, relaxation and quiet.

The saying “stop and smell the roses” always reminds me that there is something more than the busy stuff that I often find myself doing. It is a reminder for me to become Mary instead of Martha, (Lk 10: 38-42) to look around me for the “better part,” the creations of God, that I have put aside or missed because I have on blinders, I am “too” busy, and I have become desensitized to God’s purpose for me.

Yesterday was an opportunity to slow down long enough to find “the better part,” to “check” my attitude, my “values,” and my “priorities” for what is and what should be truly important.

So, how has the culture desensitized all of us to the original purpose of the day of rest? And beyond that how has the culture desensitized us to all of God’s purpose for us?

Has Sunday, the Lord’s day, become just another day to rush, to do, and to achieve something? Am I going so fast that I don’t have time to slow down for one day, yet alone one hour of one day?

And I think of someone who is in pain, who is suffering for any reason. Is that pain blinding them, or is the pain instead creating for them an opportunity to turn back to God, to grow, and to change? Is there a “silver lining,” a “rose” in nature, in what God proclaims for our Sundays, our today, and our every day?

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. …. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah…. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. …. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Lk 4: 14-21

Heavenly Father, Your Spirit and glory has created roses in every corner of the world. Open my eyes to see them and my ears to hear you. Help me to take the time to smell them and feel the joy they are intended to produce in my life. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity for a day off, to rest and to see beyond this hectic world. Amen.

Is time rushing past you? Are you seeing and feeling thorns instead of flowers? When was the last time you truly “stopped” to smell the roses?

The roses of God are true and beautiful. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,

Blessings,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com