Good Morning One and All,

I hope you are feeling lovely inside and out!

In our prayers today we give thanks for Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Companions of our Lord. The Gospel reading tells us ‘Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.

A very succinct, intimate and beautiful description of devotion.

However before I looked at the reading, but knew who we were thinking of, I thought of a different Mary and Martha story:

At the Home of Martha and Mary

 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Again we see an intimate example of devotion, but this time there is an interesting contrast between Mary and Martha.
They have both welcomed Jesus into their hearts and home. Martha wanted Jesus to feel welcome, to feel special, to feel loved, cared for, looked after, fed and watered, and we all know that is a beautiful response. I know that if I was expecting a special guest, I would do my best to make them feel all those thing.
But Mary could not tear herself away from Jesus, but sat at his feet and listened to what he said. She let the distractions of the world pass her by, and she opened her mind in order to hear more of the message of our Lord.

Listening to Jesus is not a merely passive activity, because we never have a Christ encounter that does not change us.
Listening to Jesus moves out thought processes away from us, and into Him. It is not about ‘What shall I do to please Him? ‘But,’ What does he say that leads me? And ‘Where will it lead me?’

Jesus reply to Martha includes one of those incredible sentences that really focuses our faith ‘Few things are needed –  indeed only one’
And I think that it to be in the presence of our Lord.

For me this really comes alive as I receive my Communion, and in particular if I am a place where we can sing. That moment when we have sat back down, and gently and beautifully we hear those powerful words

Be still and know that I am God, 

Be still and know that I am God, 

Be still and know that I am God.

I am the Lord that healeth thee, 

I am the Lord that healeth thee, 

I am the Lord that healeth thee.

In thee, O lord, I put my trust, 

In thee, O lord, I put my trust, 

In thee, O lord, I put my trust. 

Or this gorgeous hymn

Be still, for the presence of the Lord, 

The Holy One is here.

Come, bow before Him now,

With reverence and fear.

In Him no sin is found,

We stand on holy ground.

Be still for the presence of the Lord,

The Holy One is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around;

He burns with holy fire,

With splendour He is crowned.

How awesome is the sight,

Our radiant King of light!

Be still, for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place,

He comes to cleanse and heal,

To minister His grace.

No work too hard for Him,

In faith receive from Him;

Be still, for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place,

Or, if I am at home, there is a great track by Eric Clapton called The Presence of the Lord which includes this line
I have finally found a place to live, oh, in the presence of the Lord
In the presence of the Lord

So, my friends, I am away from my computer for the whole of August, so you will not hear from me until September, but I leave you with a little homework. Take some time to reflect on Jesus words about only one thing being needed in our relationship with him. And ponder on what that means for you.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,

Until next time,

Fr Marcus