Daily Gospel Reflection
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October 8, 2019
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.”
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, we encounter Martha at perhaps her most famous moment of weakness. Based on Luke’s account, Martha is often characterized as the worrywart, the busybody, the one who harbors a touch of resentment against her sister and who complains to Jesus about her workload.
But Martha, elsewhere in the Gospels, is revealed in much better light. This friend of Jesus loves her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus, goes to Jesus to ask for healing and help, and proclaims her faith boldly: “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).
And so I feel a special affinity for Martha, Jesus’s faithful friend. Martha proves herself hardworking and hospitable but, like me, prone to preoccupation. Martha’s “busyness” had a noble beginning: her diligent efforts all stemmed from her desire to welcome Jesus into her home. But as her work piled up, generosity gave way to complaint and focus gave way to distraction. So Martha lost sight, for a moment, of her close relationship with Jesus.
How common is it for me to become “worried and distracted by many things” as I undertake my daily labors? How frequently do I feel possessive or prideful of my work, instead of focusing on God’s abundant gifts to me and on God at work through me?
Jesus teaches Martha to keep all of her good work, all of her activity, grounded in this reality: her relationship with Jesus is eternal and “will not be taken away.” So may we always have before our eyes not only the temporal but also the eternal end to our work: to glorify God, the giver of every good gift.
Loving God, may all of our efforts today begin and end in you. May we respond with true generosity to the call to make you known, loved, and served.
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
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.
