Martha preparing for the Lord

I’ve been writing a paper on St. John Chrysostom’s interpretation of the flesh and blood theme within the Gospel according to John, so I’ve been immersed in his homilies on the Gospel lately. I loved this little passage and wanted to share it with you! I actually thought it was a great way to pray to begin Advent and learn how to truly prepare for the Lord.

Excerpt from Homily 44 (John 6:26-27)

“How is it that Jesus said to Martha: ‘Thou art anxious and troubled about many things; and yet only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part’? And again: ‘Do not be anxious about tomorrow’? It is indeed necessary to explain all these texts now, not only in order that we may cause those who are lazy to cease to be so—if they should be open to persuasion—but also that we may prove that no statements made by God contradict one another.

The Apostle says in another place: ‘We exhort you to make progress and to strive to live peacefully, minding your own affairs, so that you may walk becomingly towards outsiders.’ And again: ‘He who was wont to steal, let him steal no longer; but rather let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have something to share with him who suffers need.’ Here, indeed, Paul not merely has bidden us to work, but to labor so industriously that we have something from our efforts to share with another. Elsewhere, too, the same sacred writer says: ‘These hands of mine have provided for my needs and those of my companions.’ And writing to the Corinthians he said: ‘What then is my reward? That preaching the gospel, I deliver the gospel without charge.’ And when he was in that city: ‘He stayed with Aquila and Priscilla and he set to work; for they were tent-makers by trade.’ Moreover, these quotations seem to contradict those others still more strongly if interpreted according to the letter. We must, therefore, produce the answer at last.

What, then, should we say in reply? It is that ‘not to be anxious’ is not the same as ‘not to work,’ but it means not to be solicitous for tomorrow’s refreshment, but to consider that this anxiety is unnecessary. It is possible both for one who works not to be hoarding for tomorrow and for one who works not to be solicitous. Solicitude, indeed, is not the same thing as work. One does not labor as if setting store by the work, but in order to share with him who suffers need.

And what was said to Martha did not refer to work and daily labor, but to the necessity of knowing the time for it and of not spending the time, intended for listening to Him, on more material occupations. Well, then, He did not say these things to encourage her to idleness, but to compel her to listen to Him. ‘I have come,’ He meant to say, ‘to teach you the things necessary for salvation, and are you busying yourself about a meal? Do you wish to make Me welcome and to prepare a lavish table? Prepare another kind of refreshment by making yourself an attentive and enthusiastic listener and imitating the loving attention of your sister.’ It was not, then, to forbid hospitality that He spoke as He did to her; perish the thought! How, indeed, could He do so? But it was to show that one must not be preoccupied with other things when it is the time to listen to Him.”