HOMILY FOR SIXTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)

Fr Billy Swan

Dear friends. I think it’s true to say that for most of us, the first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning is what we have to do in the day that lies ahead. We might have to make the breakfast, bring the children to school, do the shopping, pay the bills, clean the house, call a friend, make the dinner, etc. For the most part, the day is dominated by what we have to do. We are creatures who are driven by tasks.

The danger of course is that life itself can easily become dominated by what we have to do, are doing and have done. The quality of human life can come to be measured by activity, achievement and productivity. In our causal conversations about our friends and family members, we can move quickly to speak about them in terms of what they are doing, what positions they hold and therefore how important they are. So what happens when sickness strikes, unemployment hits us or old age arrives? What happens when our sense of usefulness dries up? What then?

The Gospel story this weekend is the familiar story of Martha and Mary where Martha seems to be corrected by the Lord for suggesting that her sister Mary was unwilling to help prepare the meal they were about to share with him. Martha has our sympathies for she was the one who took responsibility for the catering and for doing the things that had to be done. But this is not why Jesus corrected her. This Gospel is not a call to drop all, become monks and pray 24/7. We live in the real world where people have to work and work hard to make a living. Things have to be done or everything would grind to a halt. Mary is commended by Jesus for having chosen the better part for she listened before she acted. She was attentive to the Lord.

The Christian is one who is present to and attentively listens to the Spirit of God before they act. For the Christian, attentiveness to the inner life is everything. What do we listen to? We listen like Mary – to the Word of God, to Jesus’ spirit active in our hearts, in the guidance of the Church and his voice in our conscience. We listen first to what he might be saying to us, what he wishes to teach us, who he wishes us to visit or where he wants us to go. We listen in silence to his Spirit that advises us how to handle a problem, resolve an argument and how to handle stress at work or at home. In this sense, our lives are always under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. For when we are united to the Holy Spirit, our decisions and actions come from within us and move outwards into the world where they have their effect.

For the one who never prays, who acts before they listen or those who have no inner life, the danger is that in a busy world, we will get sucked into systems that are dominated by activity and productivity where we always respond impulsively to what is expected of us and what is demanded of us. In the Gospel, Martha responded impulsively to what she thought Jesus expected her to do. She acted before she listened whereas Mary chose to listen first, to the Lord.

And notice what happens with Martha when this happens – resentment sets in against her sister. Furthermore, she begins to tell God what to do: ‘Tell my sister to help me!’ It’s a sure sign that something has gone wrong with us when we begin to feel resentment and begin to give orders to God as to what should be done! It means that we are beginning to lose touch with our inner lives. And without that attentiveness to our inner lives, we are at risk of being pulled and dragged apart by the countless demands and pressures in our busy world.

Friends, let us listen to God’s word before we act. Let us be attentive in prayer to the Spirit that dwells within us. Prayer is about speaking to God but first about listening to his voice and allowing what we do to be first shaped, directed and flavoured by the Word of God. In a busy world, don’t get sucked into a life of doing things just to get them done. Take back control and submit your life to the calm guidance of the Holy Spirit who sets us free and directs us to do what is really important.

I conclude with a quote from former tennis pro Andy Murray: ‘Prayer is not monologue but dialogue. God’s voice is the most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of the assurance that he will listen to mine’.