
Gospel Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Reflection
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing."
How often are we "anxious and worried about many things" in our lives? It seems like it is a trap to find yourself worrying about things you really don't have any control over.
Padre Pio's most quoted saying is, "Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer."
If we stay in the presence of Jesus then there is no need to worry!
How can we be in His presence?
Call on Jesus by praying the Jesus prayer. All we have to do is say, "Jesus, Je-e-sus, Je-e-sus!"
I attended a Seminar on the Holy Spirit and found that to live in the Spirit of Jesus is to go on a spiritual pilgrimage. That is "nine days of meditation focused on a special intention." This pilgrimage will help me and you to find "the Present of Jesus in our hearts." Just as the Apostles with Mary prayed for nine days in the upper room, you too will "receive His Present Who is Love Himself", the Holy Spirit.
Mental prayer or meditation is recommended by the doctors of the church like St. Catherine of Siena, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, and by many saints, like St. Ephrem and St. John Paul II. The doctors of the church and saints talk about the power of meditation or mental prayer.
St. Alphonsus said, "All of the saints, were made saints by mental prayer. It is impossible for him who perseveres in mental prayer to continue to sin."
St. Ephrem says, "Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit and raises man to Heaven."
"The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth. In the prayer, we repeat many times the words that the Virgin Mary heard from the Archangel, and from her kinswoman Elizabeth." St. John Paul II
In conclusion, Jesus' message to us (not just to Martha) is that we should not be anxious and worried because we have Him. All we need to do is go on a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer and meditation. That is when we will realize that He is Present in our hearts. "Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit..." (St. Ephrem) and this is what we learned during our spiritual pilgrimage. This is the one thing or who, "we receive His Present, Who is Love Himself, the Holy Spirit."
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Reference
PAPA Conference on the Holy Spirit by Fr. Michael Joseph Truong Luan, C.Ss.R.
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