Breaking the Word

  He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." (Lk 11:1-4)

 

 

Jesus was praying. Praying is a mystery. Praying speaks of the relationship between the one who is praying and God. Relationship can be measured or gauged by the people in relationship. A third person cannot know anything about what goes on in between the people of relationship. That is why the disciples ask Jesus about praying. They have seen Jesus praying and they want to know the relationship that existed between God and Jesus and how this relationship is expressed.

 

The prayer which Jesus taught them probably expressed the relationship which existed between Jesus and God or it expressed how the relationship of the disciples should be. It should be a ‘father-son’ relationship. It should express itself in trust, guiding, providing, etc. God’s name (character) should be always honoured and held high. God and Godly presence and Godly ambient should be created in and around the place (Kingdom).  God’s providence and forgiveness are the two things needed in living out this relationship. 

  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)

 

 

Though Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, he does not mind breaking his journey to meet his friends and spending some time with them. He chooses Bethany as one of his stop-over. Bethany (= house of the poor) was a place where the poor lived.  Jesus associates with the poor and his friends are from among the poor.

 

Two sisters, one is busy with preparing food for the family and friend while the other is spending time with the friend. Preparing food is as important as spending time with the friend. Probably Martha would also like to spend time with Jesus as Mary is doing.

 

I wonder why Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part since both are equally important. Does Jesus indirectly say that ‘man does not live on bread alone but from the word of God implying that he was discussing with her the word of God? For Jesus, every visit or every meeting is opportunity to communicate God and word of God.