A Woman of Joy...

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

Johannes Vermeer ~1655

I recently gave a retreat at our Retreat Center on "Balancing the Martha and Mary Within" based on the Gospel of Luke 10: 38-42. The purpose of this retreat was to provide reflection time and to focus on one's balance of contemplation and action in this fast-paced world. Martha's role is very much seen as that of action, while Mary's role is that of contemplation. Martha is the perfectionist; Mary is the dreamer. Jesus is very much both action and contemplation. Jesus shows us throughout his life that both contemplation and action are necessary. The two go hand-in-hand; they are a both/and imperative, not an either/or option.

The "balancing act" imperative has been very much a part of my waking thoughts since the retreat. As I live my daily monastic life, as I face the challenges of active ministry, and as I strive to be open to the unexpected requests and demands of daily life, I have tried to stay awake to this hospitable image of Jesus. The above picture shows him very much attentive to both Martha and Mary and he calls me to do the same.

This past Saturday I went to Huntsville to visit one of our Oblates who has been very ill. Having just had a chemo treatment the previous day, I wasn't sure how she would be feeling on my arrival. Her husband (also an Oblate) greeted me at the door and she was right behind him-dressed and radiating her usual joyous smile. I entered the house carrying Bar-B-Que takeouts from their favorite place. We sat at their round dining room table sharing her life, his life, my life and enjoying the supper treat. We later sat in the living room, the three of us, attentive to one another.

As I was travelling back to Cullman, I re-lived the Martha, Mary, and Jesus experience of the retreat. I'm sure I was living out my intent of Benedictine hospitality to them, but her joy despite all she is going through right now was such a gift of hospitality to me. I cannot identify who was Martha, Mary, or Jesus on this agape visit. Jesus' joy was illuminated within her and I would like to think the three of us were all Martha, Mary and Jesus to each other. She was hospitable to me and I know she is rooted in her joyous desire to seek God all the days of her life.

My Oblate friend loves the writings of Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister. The following quote decribes this woman of joy:

"Without an essential posture of openness, contemplation is not possible. God comes in every voice, behind every face, in every memory, deep in every struggle. To close off any of them is to close off the possibility of becoming new again ourselves."

~from Illuminated Life, Joan Chittister

Thank you, my friend, for your gift of joyous hospitality.