what more can I do - 16th sunday C

In the time of Jesus, it was expected that women should answer the demands of hospitality.  It was their role.  In the time of Jesus it was expected that women occupy supportive roles providing resources for the men who followed the Lord. And so it was a bit of a shock then that a woman was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to him, learning from him, as if she was a disciple.  It was a bit of a shock that Mary would think herself worthy of becoming a disciple.

Note however that the "better part" which Jesus seemed to commend was not that Mary was sitting before the Lord, listening intently to his teachings while Martha was up and about in her service of hospitality.  No.  We need contemplation.  We need action.  Both are needed in the church.  This "better part" however which the Lord said Mary should not be deprived of, was the fact that Mary saw, Mary realized and Mary considered the other possibilities she can do and become in expressing her love for the Lord.  

"Martha, Martha....", her name was repeated twice.  It was a loving invitation by Jesus to see more in herself than she thought possible in her relationship with the Lord.  Martha, Martha you can do more!  Martha, Martha ask yourself, "What more can I do in my love for the Lord?"

Today the gospel empowers us to serve Jesus in ways other than what we have been used to – what more can I do?

Mother Teresa once said, "If there are poor people on the moon, we will go there too." So imagine a group of nuns training to become astronauts so that they can go to the moon and serve the poor.  The point however is not the "going to the moon" but the attitude of keeping ourselves open to the possibilities to respond to needs, of making ourselves available to the call of the times, of keeping ourselves open to God's invitation, of allowing ourselves to be led by God to what really pleases him.

So what more can I do and what possibilities can I become in my love for the Lord?