We read a beautiful story today about Martha and Mary. Now, I’m not going to weigh in on who was right and who was wrong. The truth is, there’s a time and a place for both reflection and action; for prayer and for work. But the challenge, both then and now, is that we often let work and our busy lives take priority over stillness and prayer.
There is a single word in our Gospel that I would like to emphasize: “Listen.” We are told that Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him. That sounds simple, doesn’t it? But true listening is anything but easy.
Think about how we engage with one another. Have you ever noticed that most conversations are not conversations at all? They are monologues, where one must wait patiently until the other is finished talking. Often, we wait for the other person to finish talking, not so we can understand them, but so we can say what we want to say.
Sometimes, listening turns into debating, where we aren’t really hearing the other person. We are simply looking for the moment we can pounce on their words and prove them wrong.
But real listening is different. It’s something we see in Mary. She listens to Jesus in this Gospel scene. She listened to the angels in Nazareth and Bethlehem. She opened her heart.
Others throughout history have done the same. Helen Keller, though blind, deaf, and mute, listened with her whole being to her teacher, Annie Sullivan – and went on to inspire the world. St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, listened to people not just as they confessed their sins, but as they poured out their brokenness. His listening healed.
To truly listen is to give yourself fully to another person in the moment. To put yourself in their shoes, their heart, their story. It’s not just about hearing words; it’s about receiving a human being.
Listening can be risky. It can take your precious time, when you can least afford it. When you listen to someone, you can take on their problems when you have enough of your own. It might bring someone else’s pain into your heart when it is already full. It asks us to open up when it’s much easier to stay closed.
But true listening – honest, attentive, compassionate listening – is an act of love.
It’s not about coming with perfect answers. It’s about showing up with your own humanity –your doubts, your wounds, your hopes – and simply being present.
Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened. We may not be able to physically sit where she sat, but we can still listen to Jesus here and now.
He speaks to us in Scripture, in the prayers of the Mass, in the silence after we pray.
He speaks in the world around us: in the rising sun, in the voice of a friend, in the cry of the poor, in the quiet of nature. Every blade of grass, every breeze, every sky-painted sunset reflects the presence of its Creator. But if we aren’t tuned in, if we aren’t listening, we’ll miss it.
So, my friends, if you want to grow in faith; if you want to deepen your relationships; if you want to truly follow Christ, then listen.
Listen to one another. Listen to the Gospel. Listen in the silence. And remember the words from the Old Testament: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Then, perhaps, the Lord will say of you what He said of Mary: “You have chosen the better part.”
