Lifeissues is mainly concerned with publishing thoughtful articles directly related to issues raised in Evangelium Vitae. However, from the very beginning, we have also published a few related homilies, notably by Fr. Al Cariño, O.M.I., Fr. Tony Pueyo, and others.
Please use the pulldowns below to select a homily by Liturgical Calendar date.
A student recently emailed me and complained, how "crazy busy" he was. I emailed that he should think through the important matters of his life and avoid any 'craziness' like Martha had in the gospel story. Why should we ever be so "busy", so compulsive in what we do that we lose our way. Pope Benedict XVI had once written that there is no "compulsion in religion." We "have ears to hear" as Jesus said unless we are "too busy."
Sandwiched between the parable of the Good Samaritan and Jesus' teachings about prayer, the narrative about Mary listening while Martha works teaches us that study prepares us for our devotional life and for serving our neighbors. All of these things form a part of our struggle against evil.
A contemplative life without action would soon dry up and become lifeless, but an active life without contemplation is without ultimate purpose and quickly becomes neurotic and fanatical.
The familiar story of Martha and Mary cannot be reduced to a conflict between activity and contemplation. Rather, to hear it in context, the account invites us to hold both in creative tension.
The meaning of this parable may seem obvious, but that doesn't mean others who need to hear it would ever get it, unless they got hit over the head with the point in time to save them. Let's hope the joke is not on us.