Daily Gospel Reflection
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October 8, 2024
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.”
Wow! To be Mary, sit back, relax, and listen to Jesus while Martha grinds away, trying to be the “hostess with the most-est.” Who could blame Martha for asking the Lord to intervene for her to send Mary to the kitchen to assist in preparing the meal?
Who do you identify with in this passage? Is it Martha, laboring away because she has such a distinguished guest in her home and wants everything to be just right? Or is it Mary who would rather listen to the Lord and let someone else prepare the meal for their guests?
With my large family of five sisters and a brother, in-laws, nieces, and nephews, we had many Marthas and Marys. We had those who planned and prepared the holiday meals and cleaned up afterward (usually my mother or wife). And then we had those that just showed up, enjoyed the meal, then sat back and enjoyed each other’s company.
One year, at my annual silent Ignatian retreat at Manresa on the Mississippi, a wise old priest friend told me I was pressing too hard for earthly pleasures and challenged me to use my daily prayers to grow closer to the Lord. He implored me to take the time in prayer to be quiet and listen to him. He said, “God’s trying to get through to you; you just have to listen.”
As I reach my 75th year, this advice has helped me find more peace and joy in my life and my relationships with my wife, children, and grandchildren. It has helped me stop and smell the roses. With October being the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we pray a rosary today to ask for her intercession on our behalf for the salvation of our souls and understanding of God’s presence in our lives.
Prayer
Lord, please help us to remember that the more we complain, the more we limit our ability to see the blessings in our lives. We also ask your blessing on all those whose labor enhances our quality of life. We recall with gratitude the hundreds or thousands of people involved in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the transportation we use, and the roof over our heads. Our world is utterly filled with Marthas. Please, Jesus, bless them all, and bless their families. Amen.
Saint of the Day
There are several legends associated with the name Pelagia. Various legends recount the story of a former dancer who eventually became a hermit in Jerusalem, disguising herself as a monk to escape an unwanted marriage.
The historical Pelagia was a young Christian woman in Antioch, who is now celebrated as a virgin and martyr. Both St. John Chrysostom and St. Ambrose refer to her in their preaching as an example of Christian faithfulness. They tell the story of Pelagia, who was only just fifteen, leaping from a roof of a building rather than offer a sacrifice to pagan gods during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian.
Yet, over time, the faithful Pelagia, virgin and martyr, has become confused with this first Pelagia, also known as “Pelagia the Penitent,” who was, for a brief moment, Antioch's most prominent actress. The theatre at Antioch, as John Chrysostom notes constantly in his homilies, was neither the recreation of classic Greek tragedies nor a thoughtful presentation of story-telling, but more like a burlesque show, full of tantalizing sights for idle urbanites. Thus, Pelagia's reputation as a famous actress was certainly for performances that were measured on criteria other than artistic merit. Pelagia was renowned for her wealth, her entourage, and her meticulous care for her body even in the midst of her hedonistic lifestyle.
After an Antiocene priest named Nonnus condemned himself and his brothers-in-Christ for ogling at Pelagia, Pelagia appeared at Nonnus' church next Sunday. After Nonnus preached a powerful sermon, Pelagia instantly desired to become Christian. She prostrated herself before Nonnus, begging for a baptismal robe, until he agreed to let her be baptized. After three days, Pelagia's legend claims that, after giving away all her possessions, she fled to Jerusalem and lived in extreme poverty in a cave on the Mount of Olives, eventually dying as a result of her harsh, penitential lifestyle.
This confusion between the two stories has left St. Pelagia with the title of patron saint of actresses. Although the confusion of their legends is responsible for their patronage, the faithful Pelagia's leap from the roof of a building to prevent herself from being forced blasphemy is certainly a theatrical gesture of holiness, and perhaps would earn her patronage of the theatre on its own. Relics of the historical St. Pelagia, virgin and martyr, rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Pelagia, martyr and patron saint of actresses—pray for us!
Image Credit: (1) Our featured image of St. Pelagia is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed September 27, 2024. (2) The detail from Lives of the Saints is in the public domain. Last accessed September 27, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
