Third Sermon for the Feast of the Assumption: On the Different Employments of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

“ Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.’’— Luke x. 41, 42.

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Jesus “entered into a certain citadel, and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house ” (Luke x. 38). How is it, my brethren, that of the two sisters only one is said to have received the Saviour, and she the lesser of the two? For we know from the testimony of Him Whom Martha received that “ Mary hath chosen the best part ” (ibid. 42). Martha, however, seems to have been the elder, and, as is obvious enough, the beginning of salvation belongs rather to action than to contemplation. Christ praises Mary, but it is Martha who receives Him. So of old Jacob loved his Rachel, but during the night her sister Lia was put in her place without his perceiving it ; and when he complained of the fraud practised upon him, he was informed that “it is not the custom to give the younger in marriage first” (Gen. xxix. 24-26). Now, if you consider that the house here in question is an earthly house, you will easily understand why it was Martha and not Mary who received the Lord into it. It was to Martha rather than to Mary the Apostle addressed himself when he said, ‘“‘ Glorify and bear

God in your body” (x Cor. vi. 20). For the former employs the body as a means of well-doing, whereas to the latter it is more a hindrance than a help. This is what we read in Wisdom: “ The corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things” (Wisdom ix. 15). Yes, it “ presseth down the mind that museth,” but not the mind that is busy about exterior ministrations. On earth, therefore, it is Martha who receives the Saviour into her house, whilst Mary considers rather how she may be received by Him into that “house not made with hands, eternal in heaven ” (2 Cor. v. I). Perhaps, however, she also can be said to receive Him into her house, but in a spiritual sense: for the Lord is a Spirit (John iv. 24).

“And she—that is to say, Martha—had a sister named Mary, who sitting also at the Lord’s feet, heard His word.” You observe how the Saviour was received by both sisters, by the one in His bodily presence, by the other in His speech. “ But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast Thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve ? ” Brethren, are we to suppose that the sound of murmuring is heard in the house where Christ is entertained? Oh, happy the house, blessed for ever the community in which Martha has reason to complain thus of Mary! But, on the other hand, it would certainly be shameful and even sinful on the part of Mary to envy Martha. For where in the Gospel do we find Mary complaining of Martha and saying to the Lord, “My sister hath left me alone in the enjoyment of contemplative repose’’? God forbid it, my dearest brethren, God forbid it, I say, that he who has ample leisure for prayer should ever wish to exchange his lot for the distracted life led by such members of the community as have to busy themselves about external things! For Martha, indeed, it would be well that she should always seem to herself insufficient and unsuited for the task assigned her and should desire to see the office she holds transferred to some other. ‘‘ But the Lord answering said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things.” See what a prerogative is Mary’s! What an apologist she has against all kinds of censors! If the Pharisee becomes indignant (Luke vii. 39), if Martha complains, if the disciples murmur (Matt. xxvi. 8): Mary always holds her peace and Christ takes it upon Him to defend her. ‘‘Mary hath chosen the best part,” says He, “which shall not be taken away from her ” for ever. This is the “ one thing that is necessary ” ; this is the one thing that the Prophet prayed for so earnestly, as he tells us in the psalm, “ One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after ’’ (Ps. xxvi. 4).

But, my brethren, how are we to understand these words of the Lord : “‘ Mary hath chosen the best part ” ? For if her part be the more excellent, what truth is there in the answer we are accustomed to make whenever we find her disposed to regard as iniquity the bustling solicitude of the busy Martha: “ Better is the iniquity of a man than a woman doing a good turn”’ (Ecclus. xlii. 14) ? Or what meaning can there be in the Saviour’s words: “ If any man minister to Me, him will My Father honour” (John xii. 26), “ Whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister ” (Matt. xx. 26) ? Or lastly, what comfort can it be for the toiling Martha to hear herself reproved in the praises bestowed upon her leisured sister? It seems to me, consequently, that we must adopt one or other of two interpretations : either say that Mary is commended for choosing the contemplative life, as in itself the better part, so that, in as far as it depends upon us, we should all make the same choice ; or that she is praised for her detachment, in neither refusing nor over-eagerly embracing either part but showing herself ready to obey in all things the will of her Lord. For “ who is so faithful as David, going out and coming in and proceeding in all things according to the King’s command ?” (1 Kings xxii, 14). Hence he says in one of his psalms, “ My heart is ready, O Lord, my heart is ready ” (Ps. lvi. 8), ready, that is, for either one part or the other ; ready to enjoy Thee in peaceful contemplation or to minister to Thee in the person of my neighbour. Here in truth is “ the best part which shall not be taken away ” ; here you have the most excellent of dispositions, which remains always the same no matter to which side it may happen to be summoned. “ They that have ministered well,” so says the Apostle, “ shall purchase to themselves a good degree ” (r Tim. iii. 13). Perhaps they shall purchase a still better degree whosoever shall have devoted themselves well to the prayer of God. But the best degree shall undoubtedly be assigned to such as shall have attained to perfection in both the active and the contemplative lives. There is one more remark J should like to make here. I am not sure whether it is permissible to suspect anything such of Martha, but does it not seem to you as if she regarded as idle the sister whom she asked to be given her as a helper? But he that reproves the contemplative soul for her want of activity is evidently one of the ‘‘ sensual men ” and “ perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. ii. 14). Let him know, therefore, that this is the best part, which is destined to endure for ever. But as for the soul that has never practised divine contemplation, when she arrives there where this is the one occupation, the one concern, the very life of all, how can she appear otherwise than awkward, so to speak, and out of place ?

But, dearest brethren, let us consider how rightly ordered charity has distributed these three spiritual employments in this house of ours, allotting to Martha the external administration, to Mary interior contemplation, and the practice of penance to Lazarus. It is true, all three occupations are found united in every perfect soul; nevertheless, different souls seem to be intended more particularly for different functions, some being called to the repose of prayer, others to the exercise of fraternal charity, others again to the practice of penance, “‘ recounting all their years in the bitterness of their soul” (Is. xxxviii. 15), “ like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres”’ (Ps. lxviii. 6). Such a division appears to be plainly necessary, so that Mary’s mind may be occupied with loving and lofty sentiments of her God, Martha’s with kind and compassionate thoughts of her neighbour, and that the mind of Lazarus may think of nothing but his own misery and abjection. Let each one consider with himself to which of these grades he belongs. ‘‘ If these three men, Noe, Daniel and Job, shall be found in this city : they shall deliver their own souls by their justice, saith the Lord of Hosts . .. but they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters ” (Ezech. xiv. 14-16). I flatter no man.

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Would to God I were equally certain that none of you flattered and deceived himself! They to whom no office has been given, no administration entrusted, their part undoubtedly is either to sit with Mary at the feet of Jesus, or else to sit with Lazarus within the sepulchral vault. As for Martha, what wonder is it that she is “ troubled about many things,” since she has care of many things ? But thou that art under no obligation to submit to such distractions, oughtest either not to be troubled at all, but rather to “delight in the Lord” (Ps. xxxvi. 4), or, if that be not yet possible, thou oughtest to be troubled not “about many things,” but only about one, that is, about thine own self, like the Psalmist (Ps. xli. 7).

I will repeat what has just been said, so that no one may have the excuse of ignorance: thou, my brother, who hast nothing to do with building the ark of Noe or with piloting the same through the waters of the flood, oughtest to be “ a man of desires ” as was Daniel (Dan. ix. 23), or like the blessed Job, “a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity ” (Is. cliii. 3). Otherwise, I fear lest, being found lukewarm and nauseous, He should vomit thee out of His mouth, Who desires to find thee either warmed from the consideration of Himself and glowing with the heat of charity, or else humbled and cold from the one thought of thine own misery (Apoc. iii. 16), having “extinguished all the fiery darts of the most wicked one ” (Ephes. vi. 16) with the water of holy compunction. But even Martha herself also needs to be admonished that this is especially “ required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful” (x Cor. iv. 2). Now a dispenser will be faithful if he neither

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‘seeks the things that are his own, but the things that are Jesus Christ’s”’ (Phil. ii. 21), so that his intention may be pure; nor does his own will, but the will of his Lord, so that his actions may be rightly ordered. For there are some whose eye is not simple — (Matt. vi. 22), and such as these “ have received their reward ” (ibid. 2). There are others who follow the guidance of their own natural feelings in everything — they do, so that whatever they offer appears tainted, their own will being found in all their oblations (Is. lviii. 3). Come with me now, dearest brethren, to the © inspired nuptial song, and let us consider how the Heavenly Bridegroom, where He calls to Him His — Bride, has neither omitted any of these three occupations nor added to them a fourth. “ Arise,” He says, © ‘“ make haste, My friend, My dove, My beautiful one, and come ” (Cant. ii. 10). Does she not deserve to becalled His friend who, wholly intent on making profit — for her Master, carries her fidelity so far as to be willing even to lay down her life for Him ? (John xv. 13). For as often as she interrupts her spiritual exercises in order to minister to one of His least brethren (Matt. xxv. 40), so often does she lay down her life, in a spiritual sense, for His sake. And is she not beautiful who, ‘“‘ beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, is transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord”? (2 Cor. iii. 18) ? And is she not a dove who laments and sighs “‘ in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall” (Cant. ii. 14), as if buried beneath a sepulchral slab ?

“A Certain woman named Martha received Him into her house.” It admits of no doubt, dearest brethren, that Martha represents the officials of the monastery, who are charged, all in the interests of fraternal charity, with the different external administrations. And would to God I myself deserved “ to be found faithful among the dispensers’ (I Cor. iv. 2)! For to whom, I ask, are the words of the Lord: ‘‘ Martha, Martha, thou art careful ” : more evidently applicable than to religious superiors, provided they govern with due solicitude for the welfare of their charge ? And who is “ troubled about many things,” if not the superior that has to watch over Mary in her contemplative repose and over Lazarus in his exercises of penance and even over them to whose shoulders he has transferred a share of the burden of government ? Behold the “ careful ” Martha, behold Martha “ troubled about many things,” in the person of the Apostle who, whilst admonishing prelates of the solicitude required of them, was himself burdened with “ solicitude for all the churches ”’ (2 Cor. xi. 28). “ Who is weak,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ and I am not weak ? Who is scandalised, and I am not on fire ? ” (ibid. 29). Therefore, let Martha receive the Lord into her house, since to her has been entrusted the administration of the house. Martha holds the position of a mediatrix, and it is her business to obtain grace and salvation both for herself and for all committed to her care, according to what is written, “ Let the mountains receive peace for the people, and the hills justice” (Ps. lxxii. 3). Let the superior’s assistants exercise hospitality towards the Saviour in the manner determined by their office, some being appointed to welcome Him, others to attend Him, others to minister to Him in His members, this one in the sick brethren, that one in the poor, a third in the guests and strangers. Whilst all these are thus “ busy about much serving,”

let Mary see how she shall occupy her leisure, let her “ taste and see that the Lord is sweet ” (Ps. xxxiii. 9). Let her consider, I say, how with fervour of heart and tranquillity of mind she may sit at the feet of Jesus, ‘‘ setting Him always in her sight ” (Ps. xv. 8) and receiving the words of grace that fall from His mouth, Whose speech is as sweet as His countenance is lovely. For “ grace is poured abroad on His lips,” and ‘‘ He is beautiful above the sons of men ” (Ps. xliv. 3), yea, beautiful above all the glories of the angelic choirs. Rejoice, then, O Mary, and be thankful too for that thou hast indeed “‘ chosen the best part.” Blessed are the eyes that see what thou seest, blessed the ears that deserve to hear what thou hearest. Oh, blessed in truth art thou that “ receivest the veins of the divine whisper ”’ (Job iv. 12) in the silence wherewith “it is good for a man to await the salvation of God ”’ (Jer. Lam. iii. 26). Be simple with thy Lord, putting away from thee not alone all guile and simulation, but equally all multiplicity of occupation, so that thou mayest converse freely with Him Whose voice is so sweet and Whose face so comely (Cant. ii. 14). There is one thing against which thou must be on thy guard: thou must not begin to “ abound in thine own sense ” (Rom. xiv. 5) or wish “ to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise ” (Rom. xii. 3), lest perchance in pursuing the light thou shouldst fall into darkness, led astray by “ the noon-day devil” (Ps. xc. 6), concerning whom this is not the proper time to speak. But what has become of Lazarus? ‘‘ Where have you laid him ? ” (John xi. 34). I am addressing the sisters who have buried their brother by their preaching and their ministration, by their example and their a gat prayer. Where then have you laid him ? He is“ hidden in the digged earth ” (Is. ii. 10), he lies beneath the stone of the sepulchre, it will not be easy to find him. It will not appear improper, therefore, if I reserve to be the subject of my fourth sermon him who “ is now of four days ” (John xi. 39) ; so that after the Saviour’s example on hearing the announcement, “ Behold he whom Thou lovest is sick,” I also shall rest here for to-day.