Daily Gospel Reflection
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October 6, 2020
Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.
But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
I can certainly relate to Martha’s complaint in today’s gospel. I enjoy offering hospitality to others and I consider it a significant part of my spirituality. It is something that I learned from my mother and my grandmother. Hosting family and friends for holidays, birthday parties, or other events like baptisms is not only a great way to bring people together, it is also a way that I try to embody Christ’s call to serve others. I have more than a little sympathy for Martha in today’s reading. I know exactly what she is feeling as she tries to complete all the tasks necessary to greet guests, attend to their needs, and bring a meal to the table. When I am in this role, I sometimes feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and anxious.
In all honesty, when I feel this way I can really understand why Jesus gently remonstrates Martha for calling out her sister’s idleness. Sometimes, in my rush to be the perfect hostess, I lose sight of why my friends and family are gathered in the first place. I focus so intensely on every little detail that I am not present to my loved ones. Is anyone really going to care if the deviled eggs didn’t get a dusting of smoked paprika?
Jesus calls us to a balance of service to others and being present to others. It can be hard for me to find this balance, sometimes, but I know that if I try to see Jesus in others, I have “chosen the better part.”
Prayer
Good and gracious God, your Word opens our minds and hearts. Each day we strive to live your Word. Help us to listen to your Son, to trust in his healing power. Never abandon us in time of suffering and loss. Bring us your comfort and assurance. Like Martha, may we turn to your Son in our time of need, and find comfort in his presence. We ask this in his name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
When she saw the great lack of education on the North American frontier as a sickly young girl, Blessed Marie Rose Durocher had no way of knowing that the Spirit would use her life as an important response to that need.
She was born in Quebec in 1811 and given the name Eulalie Melanie. Her parents were prosperous farmers; Eulalie was the tenth of 11 children. Three of her brothers became priests and a sister joined a community of sisters.
Eulalie intended to follow her sister into religious life, but her health was poor and she was sent home from the convent with regrets. The community noted her humility, gentleness, and courtesy, and saw that she was attentive to the voice of God.
Her mother died in 1830, and Eulalie assumed the duties of a homemaker for the family. Later, as secretary and housekeeper, she helped one of her brothers who had become a priest. In that role, she learned how few schools and teachers there were in their frontier province, and began organizing young women in the parish to meet the need.
Her interest and work was noted, and was asked by the bishop to found a new religious community of sisters to provide Christian education in the region. In 1844, Eulalie and two others professed their vows as sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary; Eulalie adopted the name Marie Rose.
The need was extraordinary, and so was the response of young women willing to meet it. Over the course of five years, the order added five convents for 30 sisters who taught nearly 450 children in both English and French. Her work was not without challenges, though—Marie Rose faced slander and lack of resources, but persevered with a strong will and courage.
Always in poor health and worn out from her many labors, Marie Rose died at the age of 38. On her deathbed, she told a sister who was watching with her, “Your prayers are keeping me here—let me go.”
She was beatified in 1982 after the healing of a Detroit man. He was crushed against the wall by a truck and pronounced dead. He recovered after people asked Marie Rose for help.
There were other stories of Marie Rose helping in the case of wildfire threatening people and property in the state of Washington. Sisters from her order who lived in a community in Spokane prayed for her help when a fire threatened their convent. They placed images of Marie Rose in trees around the convent, and the fire changed direction after coming within 15 feet of the chapel.
Blessed Marie Rose Durocher is patron of those who are sick. Today, some 1,000 Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary educate children in Canada, the United States, Africa, and South America.
Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, you were the Canadian nun who brought Christian education to the frontier—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Bl. Marie Rose Durocher is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed September 27, 2024.