A spiritual check is an essential part of maintaining a healthy well-being. In this post, I will be referring to the biblical characters of Martha and Mary as reference points. This isn’t meant to be a religious read for Catholics though, as anyone could relate to examples cited.
Sisters Mary and Martha are friends of Jesus. When Jesus visited their home, Martha was preoccupied with the preparations while Mary sat firmly at His feet to listen to him. If you wish to read the whole story, you may open your bible to Luke 10:38-42.
Mary and Martha each had their own strengths and weaknesses. If we were all like Mary, then who would be doing all the preparations and the work? But Jesus at that instance pointed out that Mary made the better choice.
What can we learn from Mary?
Mary is a single-tasker. As humans, we seem to be programmed to multitask and to spread ourselves across several activities. However, there are moments which call for our undivided attention. This is essential in making sure we are able to live slowly and savor moments we’ll never be able to get back.
Mary is humble. In the presence of Jesus, she created a space to listen and learn. She realized how small she is in comparison to the Lord. Mary chose to be at his feet, taking a quiet and unassuming stance. Similarly, it is crucial for us to practice humility, as often and as consistently as we could in life.
Mary listened. She savored the moment of being in the Lord’s presence. She recognized that listening is more than hearing as it calls for understanding. It is important for what we hear to find its way into our hearts. When we fail to listen, we risk having comments and unnecessary judgment consume our minds.
Mary is mindful. She knows how crucial it is to make the most out of the moment. When an opportunity to listen presented itself, she grabbed it. Too often, we are caught up with the many things going on around us as we function busily on autopilot. But it is so crucial to be mindful of what is going on in our lives, bodies, and emotions. Mindfulness allows us to reconnect with ourselves, our spirit, our surroundings, and the Lord.
Mary prioritized. She made the consistent choice to be in Jesus’ feet. In the same way, we are called to make the conscious choice to prioritize substance. Are we keen on observing what things find their way into our mind, body, and heart? Are we careful about the kind of food we eat or the kind of things we subject ourselves to in social media? Are our relationships of good quality? Life is full of noise. Choose what is of good substance and subscribe to these things. Prioritize substance over form because form never lasts.
There are days when our lives simply demand us to be like Martha but I hope that we will never be too consumed or too busy that we forget to pause and savor what is right in front of us. Life often gives us beautiful moments to experience, if we view it through the eyes of Mary. – WITH PAU DE VERA
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