Tuesday, October 8, 2019


Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 10:38-42)


Acute observers compare how yesterday’s gospel passage ended with today’s lesson.  After relating the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus told the scholar of the law, “’Go and do likewise.’”  The one who meditates on the Scriptures must also help his neighbor.  Today Jesus has the opposite message for one who spends her day helping others.

Martha is like my aunts when they prepared their house for guests.  She completes every detail.  In the process she exhausts herself and then wonders why her sister does not lend her a hand.  Of course, Mary is listening to the Lord.  But Martha does not think that it is worthy excuse and takes her complaint to Jesus.  He advises her that she must learn when to stop working and listen.

The spiritual life like most everything else is a matter of balance.  At times we must pray and listen to the word of God reverberate within us.  At other times we must act on that word with love.  Doing either of these exercises exclusive of the other will lead to imbalance and frustration.