Martha and Mary

1. Martha and Mary a tradition of contemplative action

2. Cassianus ca 360-435 INSTITUTIONS, Chapter 18. Of the main effort towards the contemplation of heavenly things and an illustration from the case of Martha and Mary. THIS then should be our main effort and this steadfast purpose of heart we should constantly aspire after: that is that the soul may ever cleave to God and to heavenly things. Whatever is alien to this, however great it may be, should be given the second place, or even treated as of no consequence, or perhaps as hurtful. We have an excellent illustration of this state of mind and condition in the gospel in the case of Martha and Mary…For when He says that Mary chose the good part, although He says nothing of Martha, and certainly does not appear to blame her, yet in praising the one, He implies that the other is inferior. Again when He says "which shall not be taken away from her" He shows that from the other her portion can be taken away (for a bodily ministry cannot last forever with a man), but teaches that this one's desire [Mary’s desire] can never have an end. Martha and mary

3. Eckhart ca 1260-1327 Mary is the virgin She felt his love and goodness as an embracing of her soul. This made her desiring and longing without knowing what she longed for. She felt a sweet comfort and pleasure by listening to the words, spoken by Christ. Martha is the fruitful virgin According to Eckhart she is of mature age and her interior life is that of an adult. She knew how to focus her exterior activities. And she was aware of the high dignity of her beloved guest. Martha and mary

4. The cloud of unknowing + 1381 IN the gospel of Saint Luke it is written, that when our Lord was in the house of Martha, Mary her sister sat at His feet all the time that Martha was busy with the preparation of His meal. And as she listened to him she regarded neither her sister’s busy-ness, (although her busy-ness was good and holy, is it not the first part of active life?); nor his precious and blessed physical perfection, nor the sweetness of his human voice and words (although this is better and holier, for this is the second part of active life and the first part of contemplative life). But what she was looking at, was the supreme wisdom of his Godhead shrouded by the words of his humanity. And on this she gazed with all the love of her heart. Nothing she saw or heard could make her move, but there she sat, completely still, with deep delight and with an urgent love eagerly reaching out into that high cloud of unknowing between her and her God. Martha and mary

5. Amelry ca 1550 Loving soul, …the receptivity of your spirit is so wide, so great, that not one of all things can fill it, except one thing that is necessary; that one thing that no one shall take from you, that one exclusive thing which to know you were created; knowing it, to love it; loving it, to obtain it; obtaining it, to enjoy it forever. That is the one thing in which alone you find resolved all that you might seek elsewhere. And although you found everything else, but not that one thing, you have not so found what will satisfy and gratify you. Wherever you set to work also, other than that one thing, you set to work at nothing at all. Do you not see that if someone falls in the water, and his hand encounters a reed, the reed breaks, it does not support him, it does not save him. In like manner, O loving soul, set your heart on something that is not this one thing, it will leave you in the lurch, like the reed, it will not stick to you, but let you sink in the water of concern and sorrow. Soul Ah, beloved foster-mother, you put it so well; I, poor idiot, have so often experienced what you say. If I could only satisfy myself with that one thing, then I would have found what I sought so long. Martha and mary

6. Teresa of Avila 1515-1582 Life, chapter 17, 4 In a certain state of prayer, the soul, which would willingly neither stir nor move, is delighting in the holy repose of Mary; but in this prayer it can be like Martha also. Accordingly, the soul is, as it were, living the active and contemplative life at once, and is able to apply itself to works of charity and the affairs of its state, and to spiritual reading. Martha and mary

7. Teresa of Avila 1515-1582 Way of Perfection, chapter 31,3-5 It is a great favour which the Lord grants to these souls, for it unites the active life with the contemplative. At such times they serve the Lord in both these ways at once; the will, while in contemplation, is working without knowing how it does so; the other two faculties are serving Him as Martha did. Thus Martha and Mary work together. I know someone to whom the Lord often granted this favour; she could not understand it and asked a great contemplative about it, he told her that what she described was quite possible and had happened to himself. I think, therefore, that as the soul experiences such satisfaction in this Prayer of Quiet the will must be almost continuously united with Him Who alone can give it happiness. Martha and mary

8. Teresa of Avila 1515-1582 Meditations on the Song of Songs, 7,2-3 Martha and Mary never fail to work almost together when the soul is in this state. For in the active-and seemingly exterior-work the soul is working interiorly. And when the active works rise from this in­terior root, they become lovely and very fragrant flowers. For they proceed from this tree of God's love and are done for Him alone, without any self-interest. The fragrance from these flowers spreads to the benefit of many. It is a fragrance that lasts, not passing quickly, but having great effect. Martha and mary

9. Teresa of Avila 1515-1582 Interior Castle, mansion 7, chapter 4, 12-13 Believe me, both Martha and Mary must entertain our Lord and keep Him as their Guest. Martha and mary

10. John of the Cross 1542-1591 Spiritual Canticle, str. 29, 1+2 IN truth the soul is now lost to all things, and gained only to love, and the mind is no longer occupied with anything else. It is, therefore, deficient in what concerns the active life, and other exterior duties, that it may apply in earnest to the one thing which the Bridegroom has pronounced necessary: and that is waiting upon God, and the continuous practice of His love. So precious is this in the eyes of God that He rebuked Martha because she would withdraw Mary from His feet to occupy her actively in the service of our Lord. Martha thought that she was doing everything herself, and that Mary at the feet of Christ was doing nothing. But it was far otherwise: for there is nothing better or more necessary than love. Martha and mary

11. John of the Cross 1542-1591 Spiritual Canticle, str. 29, 1+2 2. Observe, however, that if the soul has not reached the state of unitive love, it is necessary for it to make acts of love, as well in the active as in the contemplative life. But when it has reached it, it is not requisite it should occupy itself in other and exterior duties -- unless they are matters of obligation -- which might hinder, were it but for a moment, the life of love in God, though they may minister greatly to His service; because an instant of pure love is more precious in the eyes of God and the soul, and more profitable to the Church, than all other good works together, though it may seem as if nothing were done. Thus, Mary Magdalene, though her preaching was most edifying, and might have been still more so afterwards, out of the great desire she had to please her Bridegroom and benefit the Church, hid herself, nevertheless, in the desert thirty years, that she might surrender herself entirely to love; for she considered that she would gain more in that way, because an instant of pure love is so much more profitable and important to the Church. Martha and mary

12. Francis of Sales 1567-1622 Conference XII, On simplicity and religious prudence The virtue we have now to treat is so necessary that, although I have often spoken of it, you still desire that I should devote a whole Conference to the subject. Now, in the first place, it is necessary to understand what this virtue of simplicity is. You know that, generally speaking, we call a thing simple when it is not embroidered, lined, or of more than one colour. For instance, we say, that person is dressed very simply, when her dress is only of one material; that is a simple dress — I mean, with no trimming or lining which we can see, and no outside ornamentation. Well, simplicity is nothing else than an act of pure and simple charity, having one only aim and end, which is to acquire the love of God and our soul is simple when in all that we do or desire we have no other aim. Martha and mary

13. Francis of Sales The well-known story of the two hostesses, Martha and Magdalen who entertained Our Lord, is most noteworthy for this very thing. Do you not see that although Martha's desire to show great hospitality to Our Lord was laudable, yet she was reproved by that divine Master, because she added another motive to the good object which made her so eager to serve Him. For, looking upon Our Lord as Man, and believing Him to be like ordinary human beings who cannot be satisfied with a simple meal of one dish, she bustled about, busy in the preparation of many and varied dishes. Thus, to the first pure aim of the love of God, she added many little secondary motives, for which she was reproved by Our Lord: Martha, Martha, you are careful and are troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary; Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her. This act of simple charity, then, which allows us to have no other aim in all our actions but the one desire of pleasing God, is Marys part, which is alone necessary. This is simplicity, a virtue which is inseparable from charity, inasmuch as it looks straight to God, without ever suffering any admixture of selfinterest. It would otherwise no longer be simplicity, for that virtue cannot endure any addition of creatures or any consideration of them. God alone finds place in it. Martha and mary

14. Michael of St. Augustine 1621-1684 Martha and Mary must live together in harmony, not only in the sense we expressed elsewhere, that is to say that religious at times practise Martha’s services or a life of work, studying, preaching, visiting the sick or being busy in other works of love, and in due time resuming the religious acts of Mary, in other words, contemplative life, meditating, praying in solitude and remaining silent etc., but also in a different sense; that is in such a way that Mary will moderate Martha in her activity, teach and rule her in all her works. Nor must Martha in the least make so bold as to act without the guidance and co-operation of Mary, whom Martha must not at any time or in any way disturb in her inner solitude, in her spiritual sleep of love and in the loving union with her Beloved One; for Mary must collect her inspiration, strength, wisdom and discretion to control and rule Martha, i.e. to practise and regulate the material worries in accordance with God’s intention: likewise, when Martha is very busy and, according to the situation, the material works must be done, Mary must not let her down on the pretext of devotion and inner rest; but must faithfully give her a hand, giving her strength and comfort, enjoying the elaboration of divine pleasure, etc. Martha and mary

15. Mgr. Zwijsen 1794-1877 Martha was occupied with the human in Christ You all know the story of MARY and MARTHA, the two sisters who were especially beloved by the divine Savior. Our Savior one time visited them and planned to stay a while. MARTHA was worried over the preparation of food and anxious that all her efforts would not be sufficient, while MARY was concerned only to show her love for the Savior and to listen to his divine word. MARTHA was too preoccupied with the human in Christ. Noting this, he admonished her: “MARTHA, MARTHA, you are worried and anxious about many things; but only one thing is needed. MARY has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk. 10:41-42). Thus also a religious, following Mary’s example, should only exert herself and strive to love him; and this with no other aim than to please him and to love him eternally in heaven, in a word: she should conduct herself without any ulterior motives, without any competing aims of her own. Martha and mary

16. 15.45 – 16.45 Group work in prayergroups Choose together a text. Read the text, be silent for a while, share what touches you most in the text.