Imagine how Martha felt as she heard, “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.” Did Martha hear a rebuke, or that she was not living up to Jesus’ expectations? Did she wonder if Jesus loved her as much as He loved Mary?
Reflecting on this passage, I do not hear a rebuke, or that we are not good enough to be in Jesus’ presence, just the way we are. I hear a concerned friend expressing a desire for Martha’s (and our) good. “If you do not slow down, you could make yourself physically and emotionally sick. You do not need to take responsibility for everything. Anxiety and tension drain you of what is life-giving. It is important to restore your body, mind, and soul by resting with me.”
Jesus understands our reality, navigating the tension of an imperfect world while longing for peace and tranquility. He knows there are times when the challenges we face can become overwhelming, too big or too messy for us to resolve, and yet so frustrating that we lose sleep worrying. Jesus sympathizes with our daydreams of escaping to a place where there is no discord, unfairness, and endless “To Do” lists, believing such a utopia will leave us with plenty of time to sit at His feet.
Is life about waiting for the time when we will cease to struggle or about embracing each day just as it is? Do we need to disengage from our families, ministry(s), jobs, and civic responsibilities to find peace? Is there a way to accept the really difficult situations we encounter and acknowledge that the different spheres of our lives involve both joy and struggles? Fortunately, we always have the Advocate (Holy Spirit), who accompanies us every day, and the teaching of St. Ignatius, which offers an affirming way to approach the complexities of human life.
In the Ignatian tradition, Jesus’ words to Martha are at the heart of the Principle and Foundation: we are created to praise, reverence, and serve God, and everything else in our lives exists to help us toward that end. When responsibilities, fears, or other distractions begin to pull us away from that purpose, Ignatius calls these disordered attachments—not “bad things,” but good things that have taken precedence over our relationship with God. Martha’s anxiety is not a failure to live up to Jesus’ expectations; it is the human experience of what happens when we overextend ourselves, or we become discouraged and feel hopeless as we witness the injustices of this world. Jesus’ gentle naming of her negative emotions is an invitation to seek interior freedom and ask for the grace to let go of what drains life. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Release your grip on your worries and concerns. You do not need to control outcomes. You have only one responsibility. That is, to hold everything lightly so there is room in your heart to trust me. Recall that everything in existence is already in my Father’s loving hands.”
When we notice anxiety rising, we can pause, breathe, and ask God for the grace to reorder our desires so that even in the midst of the chaos our focus is on the One Thing necessary. In this way, “sitting with Jesus” becomes less about retreating from life and more about redirecting our interior to the One who loves us unconditionally. Whether we are a Mary or a Martha, Jesus assures us the “best part” or our “life’s purpose” is our relationship with God, which cannot be taken from us.
Gladyce Janky
I joined the School of Pharmacy and Health Profession as a chaplain in 2015, subsequently working in the Law and Graduate Schools and Heider College of Business. I continued working with distance graduate students after moving to Sun City, AZ, in 2021. I transitioned to my current life phase in July 2023, when I retired. I am a graduate of the CSP program with two master’s degrees and hold certificates in the History of the Ignatian Tradition and Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats.
Writing reflections helps me break open the transformative power of scripture. The message is alive and relevant to me when I put myself into the story. Jesus is not just “back there.” He is here accompanying me. I share what I write with others to invite them to listen to how God is inviting them to greater spiritual freedom.
