“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

We have now come to a crucial turning point. Over the past few days, we have reflected on the “Parable of the Sower,” particularly the hardened path that was trampled underfoot. It represents how, through indifference and self-reliance, the human heart becomes hardened, so that the Word of God is snatched away before it can take root. We have also seen how the prodigal son, by demanding his inheritance, set himself on a path that led him far away from God. Today, Jesus places before us a choice with no middle ground: either we continue moving away from God, or we turn back to Him completely. Not choosing is, in itself, a choice to remain on the path of drifting away from Him.

In the home of Martha and Mary, Jesus says something that pierces the heart: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) This is not merely a gentle invitation, but a clear and urgent call, asking us to make a decisive reorientation of our lives—a complete 180-degree turn back to the Father’s house.

Martha’s busyness and anxiety over many things, including all the attachments and concerns within her heart, represent the noise that drowns out the voice of the Shepherd. Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet, shows us the one thing necessary: attentive listening and a loving dependence on the Lord.

 

How intimate our relationship with God can be depends entirely on how humbly we acknowledge that we are in such urgent need of Him.

Who among us can honestly say that we never take anything for granted?

After losing everything, Job was still able to declare with perfect freedom: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21). Such “detachment” is the path home.

Yet detachment does not come naturally. Our human nature tends toward accumulation, attachment, and even addiction to things that seem necessary. Yet the spiritual life requires us to train a kind of “muscle of letting go.” What we must detach from is not God, but our attachment to worldly things.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “faith in God, the only One, leads us to use everything that is not God only insofar as it brings us closer to him, and to detach ourselves from it insofar as it turns us away from him” (CCC 226). It also reiterates: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” and “detachment from riches is necessary for entering the Kingdom of Heaven” (CCC 2556).

St. Francis of Assisi shows us the ultimate embodiment of this choice, living it out radically. In his Rule, he requires the brothers to appropriate nothing for themselves, living like pilgrims and strangers, serving God in poverty and humility. Among the brothers, those who labour must receive only what is necessary for basic living and never money. All this was to safeguard the heart, so that the spirit of holy prayer will not be extinguished.

By stripping himself of everything, St. Francis placed himself in complete dependence on the Father. He needed God for food, shelter, and every spiritual grace, and in that dependence, he lacked nothing.

Like Mary, St. Francis chose the better part.

We are like sheep that easily lose our way. When surrounded by the noise of worries, possessions, and self-sufficiency, we can no longer hear the voice of the Shepherd.

The more we desire to turn toward God, the more we must let go of lesser things. This is the wisdom of detachment: because God’s ways are higher than our ways, we must discern what to let go of, so as to lighten our load and hasten our return to the Father’s embrace.

The choice before us is simple yet demanding. Will we continue to be distracted by many things, or will we choose the one  necessary thing, the part that endures forever? Mary’s choice, Francis’ poverty, and Job’s trust all lead to the same destination: a heart that is no longer hardened, but open and fertile, allowing the Word to bear fruit. Let us make that choice today: to sit at the Lord’s feet, to listen attentively, and to rely on Him completely. That better part will never be taken away from us.

Let us now sit at the Lord’s feet once more and listen attentively to these heartfelt words of Jesus:

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Reflection

In my daily life, am I more like Martha, distracted and anxious about many things, or more like Mary, choosing to sit at the Lord’s feet? How can I train my heart to let go of lesser things so that I may hear the voice of the Good Shepherd more clearly?

Can I truly echo Job’s words of complete detachment from the depths of my heart? Or do I still take God’s freely given gifts for granted? What specific attachments or possessions am I clinging to that hinder me from fully depending on God’s providence?

Am I ready today to make that radical choice, to follow the example of Mary and St. Francis, and to choose the one necessary thing?

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, I confess that I am often like Martha, worried and distracted by many things. Today, I hear Your clear call, and I desire, like Mary, to choose the better part.

Help me to let go of all that hinders me from drawing close to You. Grant me the spirit of St. Francis, to embrace holy poverty and to depend entirely on You. And like Job, whether You give or take away, may I always praise Your holy name.

Create in me a heart that listens, that my soul may depend completely on Your providence. May I always sit at Your feet, choosing the one thing necessary, the part that will never be taken away. Lead me back to the Father’s house, and make my heart a fertile ground that bears abundant fruit.

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