Saturday, July 17, 2010

Choosing the Better Part


An exasperated Martha, left to do the serving all by herself, admonishes our Lord to make Mary, who is listening to His words of wisdom, help her. "Mary has chosen the better part, and it shall not be taken from her."

How many times do we stress ourselves out running from one activity to another, racing to complete one task after another that, very likely, will have no bearing on our eternal salvation? It's a good thing to keep a clean home and keep our children active and involved. But we're not doing ourselves or our families any favor by giving priority to activities of daily living while neglecting activities that will ensure eternal life.

When children are very young, psychologists tell us that their play is their work and is an important part of their development. By the same token, prayer and contemplation is our work, and without it, we fail to develop spiritually. We can become stagnant, doing the bare minimum and treating the Lord as though He is just another chore that we'll get to when we can. Where is prayer in your life, and more importantly, what is prayer?

Last night, Father Gleason reminded us that LISTENING to God is as important as TALKING to Him. It's a noble thing to say we will offer our work and all our activities to God as a prayer offering, but it's not so good when we choose to put Him last, especially when we have the ability to put Him first.

Where is God in your life? Is the focal point of your day, or an afterthought? Every so often I'll see a somewhat hokey little saying on a Protestant church marquis, but here's one I saw that really does ring true. "Give God what's best, not what's left." Resolve to do something every day, without fail, that enables you some quality time talking to Him and listening to Him.

I am astounded at how many Catholics still do not pray the Rosary every day. I am amazed at how many do not take advantage of the incomparable privilege of receiving Jesus in Holy Communion more often than once a week. If you're only giving God what's left, take some stock of where you are and how you can get where you should be. Give Him what's best, not what's left.

2 comments:

  1. Amen! (First in line of the convicted) :)Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. You do very well by the Lord Kelly :-D

    ReplyDelete

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