Friday, July 29, 2022

Faith in Action


The WORD today reminds me that I should always live my faith. 

There is such a term as “Analysis Paralysis.” It is good to understand the situation and study before making a move. However, sometimes we get stuck understanding the situation and analyzing things. We over analyze things and take into consideration all the factors. We want to be overly prepared and want answers to all that can happen. However, this can lead to us not doing anything because we get caught up in analysis and preparation. IF we are in this state, we cannot accomplish anything. 

In the spiritual sense, this is true as well. We should not over analyze or simply profess our faith. We should live it. In the bible, it says that “Faith without works is dead.” Yes, it is true. We should spread our faith. We should work for our faith.

The gospel shows us how action oriented Martha is, whose feast we are celebrating today, together with her siblings Mary and Lazarus. In one gospel option, we see her doing all the work, serving Jesus (though she lost her focus on Jesus and got stressed and carried away by the tasks). And in the other gospel, we see her maturing in faith. Although she again acted and welcomed Jesus as he was going on his way to their house, it did not stop there. We see not only her actions, but her profession of faith as well. 

We see her faith that was translated into action. We see her action based on her faith. Perfect combination.

Martha did not have it all at once. In one story, we see her being action oriented but lacking faith and focus. But Jesus' love and compassion eventually led her to improve her faith, thus in the second story, we see her action backed up by faith. We are not perfect and we may lack faith just like Martha, but God’s love will eventually transforms us. We just have to listen and allow him to do that in our lives – like he did in Martha’s.

Do I have faith in God? Do I love God? Do I live my love for and faith in God? 

May we be inspired by St Martha’s faith and action working in hand in hand as we do God’s work.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder and inspiration in St Martha. Thank you for reminding me that your love can transform me. Sorry for the times I act like an immature version of Martha. Sorry for losing my focus on you, for being stressed and for complaining as I serve you. May I have her faith and action – faith that knows you and trusts in you, and may that faith be translated into action. Likewise, may my actions for you always be founded on your love and founded on my faith in you, that I may not be distracted with anything or anyone as I work for you. Lord, in a special way, I also lift up to you those celebrating their birthdays today, especially my wife Mady. Thank you for all the blessings and for making your presence alive in her life. I pray that you continue to deepen and strengthen our faith and guide and bless all our actions so we can become like St Martha. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflection:


Daily Readings

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Lectionary: 405/607

Reading I

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD: 
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them:  Thus says the LORD:
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.

Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
“You must be put to death!
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and
‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?”
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

 

Responsorial Psalm

R.        (14c)  Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Those outnumber the hairs of my head
who hate me without cause.
Too many for my strength
are they who wrongfully are my enemies.
Must I restore what I did not steal?
R.        Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Since for your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother’s sons,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R.        Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
R.        Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
 

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

OR:
Lk 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”




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