Only One Thing is Necessary

Readings: 1^st: Gal 1:13-24; Ps: 138; Gos: Lk 10: 38-42

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp. He is a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). He is a missionary in Puerto Rico, the island of enchantment. He is the Chancellor of the Dioceses of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico; the Parish Priest of Parroquia la Resurrección del Senor, Canovanas and the Major Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. For more details and comments contact him at:  canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Today is the Tuesday of the twenty-seventh week of ordinary time. Today’s gospel presents us with a little challenge.

This challenge is in Jesus’ response to Martha: “You worry about so many things, and yet, few are needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.” The temptation here is to think that Christ was against Martha or what she was doing.

Instead, it is a call to set our priorities right. Perhaps, Jesus felt that it was not enough for Martha to have welcomed him to her house. Maybe, she should have first paid more attention to His message before any other thing.

An essential part of hospitality is paying attention to people. At times, what people need from us are not just material things, but our attention.

Today, it is evident that many Christians have misplaced their priorities in life. This is in spite of the fact that we labor much in the house of God.

Hence, many Christians have time for the work of God, but no time for God, the owner of the work. Today, many of us are so distracted with many social and material activities (both in the church and in our homes) that we hardly have time for any spiritual reflection.

In some of our families, we pay attention to every other thing, but little or no attention to the spiritual growth of the members of our families. We have time for social activities, but little, or no time for praying or studying the word of God together.

We need to cement our relationship with Christ by sitting close to him as a family, by paying attention to what he has to say to us. Christ needs our attention because he has something new to teach us every day.

He wants to spend quality time with us each day. So, we must not allow anything to prevent us from welcoming him, distract us in his presence. He wants us to live in his presence all the time.

Peace be with you all.

Maranatha!