by Fr. Tommy Lane
You tell me that you do your work well, you don’t harm anyone, so you are a good Christian, although you admit that you don’t pray. I would like to ask you, “If you do your work well, you don’t harm anyone, but you don’t pray, what is the difference between you and a computer?” No difference. Computers work well, harm no one, and don’t pray. We can get so busy that we forget what life is all about. We can get so involved in pursuing the things money can buy that we forget the things money can’t buy. Jesus never said to work always, but he did say to pray always (Luke 18:1). We are not meant to be workaholics. We are sons and daughters of God since baptism; we could not be more privileged.
Martha was distracted with all the serving while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him. No doubt Martha would describe herself as someone who did her work well and didn’t harm anyone. But it did not bring her peace of mind; she was vexed with her sister and Jesus was not entirely satisfied with her either:
Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, it is not to be taken from her. (Luke 10:41-42)
Clearly, working well and harming no one is not nearly as good as also spending time with Jesus. Martha learned that Jesus would be much happier if she spent time with him rather than running all over the house. Perhaps we could express it like this: we would be much more pleasing to Jesus if we spent time with him in prayer every day as well as doing good, rather than being a do-gooder who does not pray. Or perhaps we could express it in this way: we are called to be Christians—in relationship with Christ—and not just do-gooders. I would like to encourage you to spend a substantial amount of time in prayer every day. Two minutes, three minutes, or five minutes is not enough. I believe God calls Christians to pray for a significant amount of time every day. It is great to see so many who spend one hour before Jesus in the Eucharist in the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapels.
Time spent in prayer is not time wasted. It is the most fruitful time of all. For beginners, prayer nay not be easy but for those who persevere, it is certainly rewarding. We live such busy lives that sometimes we might not even be aware of what is really going on deep within us. We only become aware when we take the time to quieten down and pray. Usually, people call the awareness during prayer of what is happening deep within them “distractions,” but these distractions are often messages to help us get our lives in order. Distractions can be of many kinds. If something painful from the past keeps popping into our head during prayer, that may signal that God wants to give us the grace of healing that wound in prayer. That wound is an obstacle to our friendship with God and needs to be healed. Then ask God in prayer to heal that wound. Whatever emotions or desires arise in our mind during prayer may be a message to us to bring that matter before the Lord in prayer to get it resolved in prayer. For example, anger and forgiveness arising during prayer make us aware of the need to forgive.
Sometimes we become distracted in prayer simply because our minds are so active. St. Teresa of Avila, writing about this, said it is like having a mad man in the attic. We may need to give the mad man in the attic something to occupy himself if we are to have less distractions during prayer. There is a story told about someone riding an elephant through an African village. The elephant would poke his trunk into everything while passing by and cause damage. So, to prevent this, the man gave the elephant a stick to hold in his trunk. He was then able to ride through the village without the elephant causing any trouble. That was his way to occupy the mad man in the attic. How do we occupy the mad man in the attic or give the elephant a stick for his trunk? Maybe playing very quiet easy-listening reflective music in the background might help. Looking at a holy picture or a lighted candle might help. When you notice yourself becoming distracted, you can look at the picture or candle again. Reading a few verses from the Bible would help you to concentrate again. Whatever way we occupy the mad man in the attic, the important thing is to meet Jesus in prayer. If we really meet Jesus in prayer we will be uplifted and have a much more enjoyable life.
Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, it is not to be taken from her. (Luke 10:41-42)
Copyright © Fr. Tommy Lane 1998
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More homilies for the Sixteenth Sunday Year C
Prayer is the oxygen of life 2022
Prayer: Sitting at the Feet of Jesus like Mary 2019
Mary at the feet of Jesus: Consecrated Contemplative Life 2010
Homilies on Listening to the Word of God
Second Reading: Sharing in the sufferings of Christ 2008
stories about prayer