+ The message of the gospel passage today is about "taking advantage of a good situation when it comes and sits right in front of you!" Jesus came to visit his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. While Mary just sits at Jesus' feet and listens very attentively to every word he says, Martha is all upset because she is not helping her get the dinner ready. But Jesus explains to Martha that Mary has chosen the better and more proper thing to do in this case; not that Jesus did not want Mary to help Martha – after all he tells us that we ought to help and serve one another. But when Jesus himself comes very near, for a very short period of time – as he did in this case, as he can do in our own lives in moments of more intense prayer and listening, or even unannounced or quite unexpectedly: then we would do better to spend some extra time with Jesus in this friendly exchange of presence and language – then to go off and do some manual labor.
The time of intense prayer will wane and then it will be time to "get back to work!" It is these moments when Jesus decides to come to visit us – that can happen any time he wants them to – that gives us something to look forward to in our day! And they can make all the difference in the rest of our day!
The people of the first reading today also listened not to Jesus, but to his Father – who, through the prophet Jonah, told them to repent of their sins or the whole city would be destroyed. Thankfully, this time they did listen and the city was spared at the preaching of Jonah. Yes, sometimes it is best to listen, and sometimes it is best to act! The Holy Spirit will help us figure out which time is which, if we ask him!
Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it!
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