Lord Free Me From All Anxiety
When re-designing the sanctuary of my last parish, Our Lady Immaculate, Tolworth, we commissioned a sculptor, Theodore Gillett, to create the new Altar and the Ambo.
The Ambo is the place from which the Word of God is proclaimed. Symbols of the four evangelists are often placed on modern Ambos. I asked Theodore to create an image taken from today’s Gospel. He sculpted Jesus, sitting on the edge of a table, with Mary sitting at his feet listening intently. It is a wonderful image. When we hear the Word of God proclaimed at Mass we are like Mary, a listening disciple sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Many feel great sympathy for Martha when hearing this story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Lazarus. It is important to realise that Martha is fulfilling the necessary role of hospitality. This is the virtue of service. Note that Luke describes Martha as being distracted with much serving. The Greek word used is perispao meaning “pulled away.” The work of hospitality was distracting her, pulling her away. Jesus, when replying to Martha’s request to ask Mary to help her says, “You are anxious”. The Greek word is merimnao meaning that there is a lot on her mind. What is happening is that Martha’s virtue of hospitality is leading her to be anxious and distracted. Jesus isn’t belittling Martha’s important work of service but he does say that Mary has chosen the “good portion”.
I believe that Jesus is saying, no matter what we are doing, our overall concern needs to be keeping our attention on God. God is not one thing among many things. God is the one thing necessary. St Augustine says “love God and do whatever you want.” This does not mean “do what you like” but that when the love of God is the governing principle of our lives, then all that we think, say, and do will necessarily be yielded to that love. If our love of God is real and profound, then obedience and faithfulness, right thinking and right actions will flow irresistibly from that love.
Mother Teresa would always say that she and her sisters could only work among the poor and dying when they did their daily Holy Hour of prayers. She would say that it was her holy hour that fuelled her love for the poor. She couldn’t have done what she did without the grace of God. We are not all called to spend a full hour of prayer each day, but each of us is challenged to devote a dedicated period of time with God.
This story also reminded me of the story of someone asking St. Francis de Sales how much one should pray. The Doctor of the Church replied that you should pray a half hour each day unless you’re busy. If you’re busy, you should pray for an hour. The “busyness” of our lives can distract us and make us anxious about many things.
Lord free me from all anxiety and give me the grace in my somewhat busy life to always choose the one thing necessary.
