Dear brothers and sisters,

We live in a restless age — always busy, always connected, always distracted. And into that noise, today’s Gospel speaks with gentle clarity: “Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened.”

This moment in Bethany is not just a lovely anecdote. It is a powerful call to reorient our lives. In a world that constantly urges us to do more, say more, be more — Mary shows us that holiness begins by being still and listening.

Martha welcomes Jesus — a beautiful act of hospitality. But then, she becomes “distracted with much serving.” Notice: she is doing good things. She is not sinning. She is trying to serve the Lord! And yet — she misses Him. She is so busy doing things for Jesus that she forgets to simply be with Him.

This is a danger for all of us, especially in parish life or ministry. We can be consumed with “church work” and forget to pray. We run events, fix buildings, serve on committees — but do we sit at the feet of Jesus?

Busyness is not holiness. Activity is not the same as charity. The saints always teach us: Prayer comes first. Everything else flows from that.

Mary chooses the better part — not because she’s idle, but because she’s attentive. She listens to Jesus. And Jesus praises her for it.

In this simple moment, we see what true discipleship looks like. It is not about always being in control. It is not about doing all the talking. It begins in silence, in humility, in receiving.

That’s why the Church calls us, week after week, to the Liturgy of the Word. We sit at the feet of Christ as His Word is proclaimed. The Scriptures are not just history. They are God speaking to you and me, here and now. Do we listen with reverence? Or are we already thinking of something else?

The “better part” is not hidden. It is offered freely — if only we slow down and make space for it.

Now some may think: “But shouldn’t we be like Martha too? Shouldn’t we serve?” Yes — of course! But the Gospel is not saying we should choose either prayer or action. It’s saying prayer must come first.

St. Benedict taught: “Ora et labora” — “Pray and work.” But always in that order.

Mary listened before she acted. The Apostles prayed in the Upper Room before going out to preach. Jesus Himself spent long hours in silence before ministering to the crowds.

Contemplation leads to mission. If we act without prayer, we burn out. If we serve without listening, we lose direction. But if we sit at the feet of Christ, He will send us out with His strength, not just our own.

So What Should We Do? Make silence part of your daily life. Even just five minutes before the Blessed Sacrament or in quiet prayer each day. Let God speak.

Reverence the Word of God. Read a small portion of Scripture each day — perhaps the Gospel of the day — and ask: “Lord, what are You saying to me?”

Put the Eucharist at the centre. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet — and we receive Him at every Mass. Not in symbol, but in reality: His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. That is not entertainment. It is divine encounter.

Jesus says, “Mary has chosen the better part.” That word — chosen — implies a decision. Have we made that decision? Have we chosen Christ above all? Or are we still trying to serve two masters?

The Church is not a club, a show, or a service provider. She is the Mystical Body of Christ, entrusted with the fullness of truth and the sacraments that save. No other community — however sincere — has what the Catholic Church has: the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, apostolic authority, and the full deposit of faith. The world offers a thousand voices, a thousand opinions, a thousand distractions. But the Church offers one thing that the world cannot: the Real Presence of Christ, truly with us, to sanctify us, teach us, and save us.

If you’ve drifted from the Church — come home.

If you’ve never known what the Church teaches — ask the questions.

If you’re Catholic, but lukewarm — come back to the altar with reverence and awe.

Don’t settle for a version of Christianity that entertains but does not sanctify. Don’t substitute personal opinion for revealed truth. Don’t miss the presence of Jesus in your midst. In the tabernacle of every Catholic church, the same Jesus who sat in Mary’s house is waiting.

He is here. Not in symbol. Not in memory. But in reality.  Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

The world is full of Marthas. Christ is calling for Marys.
Let us choose the better part — and it will not be taken from us.