Martha's kitchen was probably a whirlwind of activity, bread rising, soup simmering, plates clattering, and the general chaos that comes when you're hosting the most important dinner guest in human history. But here's what's fascinating: Martha wasn't just busy, she was "anxious and worried about many things," as Jesus gently pointed out. Meanwhile, Mary sat completely devoted to Jesus, absorbing every word like someone who had finally found what her soul was searching for. The contrast couldn't be sharper; one sister distracted by even good things, the other devoted entirely to the One Thing that matters most.
Here's the twist that makes this story so relevant: Martha loved Jesus deeply. Her frantic activity wasn't selfishness; it was devotion expressed through service. Yet somewhere between the meal preparation and table setting, her devotion morphed into distraction. She became so focused on doing things for Jesus that she forgot to simply be with Jesus. How often do we fall into this same trap? We volunteer for every parish committee, attend every religious event, and fill our schedules with spiritual activities, all while gradually losing sight of the Person at the center of it all. Our Catholic spirituality recognizes that even holy busyness can become a distraction if it pulls us away from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Mary, on the other hand, shows us what pure devotion looks like. She wasn't avoiding responsibility or being lazy; she was making the most important choice anyone can make. In a world full of distractions, she chose single-hearted focus on Jesus. Catholic saints throughout history have understood this principle: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux found her "little way" precisely by maintaining childlike devotion to Jesus amid daily duties; Saint John of the Cross wrote about the need to empty ourselves of attachments that distract from God's presence. Mary intuited what these great mystics would later articulate: that devotion to Jesus requires deliberate choices about where we place our attention and energy.
The question each of us faces daily is simple yet profound: Will I be devoted to Jesus or distracted from Jesus? Distraction doesn't always come in obvious forms; sometimes it's disguised as productivity, ministry, or even religious activity. Devotion, meanwhile, might look surprisingly ordinary: choosing to pray before checking our phones, really listening when someone needs us, or finding Jesus in quiet moments throughout our busy days. The beautiful irony is that when we choose devotion over distraction, our service becomes more effective, not less. When we first sit with Jesus like Mary did, our work flows from a heart aligned with His, rather than from anxiety about getting everything done. Martha learned that day that Jesus doesn't need our frantic service as much as He desires our faithful attention. And in a world full of noise and hurry, that lesson couldn't be more timely or more life-changing.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
