Serving with a Smile

The Memorial of St. Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus and close friend of Jesus, always seems to bring up the discussion about busyness and attentiveness, action and contemplation.  Martha sometimes comes off looking like a nagging witch, while the serene Mary receives Jesus' approval for having chosen "the better part." Yet, if both had been sitting at the feet of Jesus, no one would have eaten that day. There is a valid aspect of prayer that encourages us to bring what's troubling us immediately to Jesus, rather than let it stew within and build up steam to a blow-up. While Mary's listening is commended, it is not the only form of prayer.  Martha shows us how most active people pray...they just "get it out".  Boom. Done!
 In another scene, the arrival of Jesus four days after the death of Lazarus, Martha again speaks her mind directly to Jesus, saying that if he had been there earlier, Lazarus would not have died.  In almost the same breath, her very next sentence is, "But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." (Jn 11: 22).  And after Jesus explains the larger picture, "I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me even though they die, will live again." (Jn 11: 25), Martha exclaims in a tremendous acclamation of faith: "I have always believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." (Jn 11: 27). She is a woman of faith, a faith which colors her work and enables her to do it with a smile.  She is quite the model for most of us, who, like her, are "busy about many things." (Lk 10: 42).
Bro. Rene