Arulvakku

29.07.10 MARTHA

Posted under Reflections on July 28th, 2010 by

As they continued their journey he 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."  (Lk 10:38-42)

  

Martha complains about Mary, her own sister. This complaint is because she takes herself as a model or an example for her sister. This is also because we make ourselves as criteria for the lives of others and their activities. Martha was a good person and all she did was also good. But her attitude towards the other was not right.

 Mary was also busy. She was busy listening to Jesus. Martha was attending to Jesus by preparing food for him while Mary was also attending to Jesus by spending time with him listening. Both are activities and one should not be compared with the other. This is similar to the story of Peter and John (Jn 21, 22). In this story Peter is worried about John. So Jesus had to say “what concern is it of yours? You follow me”. Each one should follow Jesus in their own way and should not pretend to be a model for the other.

 Jesus himself is on a journey. Journey is towards Jerusalem the ‘city of God’. But he breaks his journey in a village which is very close to Jerusalem. Bethany is the ‘village of Mary and Martha’. Jesus feels at home in this village (he is welcomed here) while the city turns against him. In the village he has friends who care for him (prepare food for him) and friends who listen to him. 

 

  

28.07.10 KINGDOM

Posted under Reflections on July 27th, 2010 by

 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. (Mt 13:44-46)

 

 Jesus and the kingdom message are to make the listeners think. The message is shocking. It is also making the listeners to wonder about the kingdom. Matthew has arranged all the parables together and hence all the parables together communicate the various aspects of the kingdom.

 The kingdom is like a treasure. One does not get a treasure everyday of his life. It is not something that you get through ordinary knowledge and understanding. Similarly the kingdom is something out of the ordinary and unexpected. It is something like a revelation. It is totally a gift and it not worked for.

 The kingdom is like a fine pearl. It is so fine and so expensive. Its worth is so valuable that one has to sell all what he possesses to acquire this. Kingdom is such. It is worth loosing everything for the kingdom. 

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