When he knocks.

     In this week's gospel Luke 10:38-42. A woman named Martha opens her home to Jesus.  While Martha was busy working and preparing her home for Jesus Martha’s sister Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened  closely to everything Jesus said.  Martha must have grown tired and said to Jesus  “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.”
After reading this gospel I saw that Mary had chosen to listen to Jesus while her sister Martha was caught up in her world of “doing”.   One sister decides to be still and listen while they other is busy in action doing all she can with her two hands. Although they appear to be at opposite ends of the spectrum I can see how I am very much like both of them. 
    How many of us can relate to the Martha madness during Jesus’s visit? It’s that very familiar need to do do do and accomplish more.  Working to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of.     That feeling that there isn’t enough time and even worse not enough help to get everything done. You know the feeling of  putting in extra hours to make a little extra  money. We have all had times when we were really busy.  Constantly in action moving from one task to the next. Being in action Is necessary and in most cases good. We have heard that “Faith without works” is dead. That means you have to know when it is time to take action. Not only do you need to take action I’d go a step further and say  the right action.   Taking the right action comes with  the Lords blessing. So when Jesus told Martha  that she needed  one thing I believe that one thing is a relationship with the Lord. My experience has been that  the Lord’s guidance has played a role in all of my decisions the good and the not so good. I’ve been a doer on a mission to prove something to the world. I’ve been overworked, stressed worried and upset about many things just like Martha. I know what its like when I don’t make time to sit and listen  (like Mary) to the lord. Yes, Jesus says that we really only need one thing. That one thing is  truly a relationship with the Lord. When you have a relationship with the lord you hear him. You see him. You see him in others.  You experience him in the ups and downs of life. That relationship keeps you in balance.  The balance of never doing too much that you can’t make time for prayer and reflection with the  Lord. Like Jesus says in the gospel “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her”.  A relationship with the lord is yours. Nobody else will relate to the Lord the way you do. 
    The Lord has carved out a special place in his heart for each one of us and it is our responsibility to make sure we do not neglect that relationship. I have been there all too often. Have you?   Have you ever had your head down working, and managing your life for weeks and months never making time to look up.  Have you been so busy that you find yourself  never making time to look up at the Lord? Then it happens.  The knock on your front door by the Lord to serve as a reminder that you need to be more like Mary. You need to sit down and listen to Lord.   Maybe this is your reminder. Maybe today you’re being called to make some time for the Lord. Time to reflect upon all that he has done for you. The good, the bad, the happy and the sad. It’s all the lords work.  Whether you are in a Martha moment and insanely busy or patiently waiting for the lord to speak to you like Mary remember that when he knocks… you be there to answer.