Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her
Gn 18,1-1oa; Ps 14; Col 1,24-28; Lk 10,38-42
21 JULY
In front of the most precious and the most beautiful there is no choice. You take the most beautiful and precious thing. Jesus reveals this truth in two parables: the hidden treasure and the precious pearl. You sell what you have, you take the highest of beauty and preciousness.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it (Mt 13,44-46).
St. Paul, seized by Christ Jesus, on the road to Damascus, having understood in the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the eternal and historical all for him, he considered everything that was precious to him yesterday a rubbish before the excellence of Lord Jesus. His life turned into a race in order to reach Jesus even in the form of his body.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. Writing the same things to you is no burden for me but is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh, although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless. (But) whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus). Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus (Phil 3,1-14).
Jesus is the truth of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, of creation, of time, of eternity, of man, of life, of death, of Scripture, of the Church, of the Christian, of the Law, of the Gospel, of theology, of Morality, Ascetics and Mystics. He is the ever new truth of every theological and profane science. He is the truth of salvation, of redemption and of the mediation between God and the entire universe. If Jesus is the fullness of all things, it is foolish not to choose Him. He is the best part of all that will never be taken away. We lose all the other things, we leave them and abandon them. He is also the truth of our body. We choose him, he will resuscitate us in his resurrection of glory and light. Choosing Him is the wisdom of all wisdom.
As they continued their journey he 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.”
Jesus enters Marta’s house. Mary immediately grabs the unexpected grace. She stands at his feet and listens to the heart of Christ the Lord. No one might serve God according to the heart of God, if he does not place himself in a profound listening. Instead, Marta decides to serve Christ. She is a victim of her thoughts. She enter into confusion. She sinks into panic. It is the condition of many children of today’s Church: they want to serve Christ from their hearts and feel defeated. They enter into panic. It would be enough to sit a little at the feet of Jesus.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that Christians learn how to listen to the heart of Christ.