Reflection for the 16th Ordinary Sunday 2025

The Lord said to her, There is need of only one thing.

We are going to talk about something explosive today, TNT. We will get to that in a minute.

Before we get to the explosive, let’s look at what is going on in the house of Martha and Mary.

The Lord had great affection for Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus. We would see the Lord at their home several times in the gospels.

This occasion is sort of a lead-in to knowing them. One of the things believed about this family is that they were well-to-do, perhaps even wealthy.

On this occasion Mary listens attentively to Jesus as He proclaims the Kingdom of God, the promise of eternal life, resurrection of the dead, and the need for complete honesty in our relationship with God and each other.

Back in the kitchen Martha is taking charge of all the guest arrangements. She wants to put on the best for Jesus, His companions, and all the guests. Her talent was important here. She wants to be like Abraham and Sarah in providing for the Lord, perhaps hoping a special blessing.

We know Martha gets perturbed with her sister Mary and that she speaks openly with Jesus about her upset.

The Lord quickly sets things straight. He does so in such a way that Mary’s heart is changed. That’s the real miracle here, the miracle Jesus wants for all of us – changed hearts.

Jesus’ very presence brings new life. Later, at the death of their brother we will see Martha running out to meet Jesus and her declaration of faith in the Messiahship of Jesus and the resurrection. She is no longer back at home.

The family’s well-being is attested in the passages about Jesus’ dining with them before His crucifixion and death – the occasion where His feet were anointed by Mary.

Here comes the explosive part – the TNT we need to apply in our lives. The TNT we need to accept is that is Take No Talent to faithfully listen to Jesus, to believe all He says, and to follow Him.

Let us be those Jesus loves by taking a breath, quieting ourselves of what we think we must do, and simply accepting Jesus’ word. There is need of only one thing.

Reflection for Passion Sunday 2017

Even now
I trust.

Martha went to meet Him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

As we enter Passiontide we continue our focus on conviction and the kind of faith that shows we have not just accepted conviction but have been changed to people of deep faith.

Remember Jesus’ earlier encounter with Martha and Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teaching, filled with faith. Martha was busy in the kitchen and was annoyed – her sister wasn’t helping. Martha complained to Jesus and Jesus told her straight out that Mary had chosen the better part. Mary saw the opportunity of God’s presence while Martha was convicted for busing herself with less important things.

Now Martha’s brother is dead. He’s been placed in the tomb and the tomb is sealed. They had sent word to Jesus while he was still alive, but He didn’t show up. Now Jesus is approaching.
The woman who busied herself in the kitchen, who missed Jesus’ teachings, who chose the lesser part, comes running out …but Mary sat in the house. What happened?

What happened is that Martha got something deeper from that earlier encounter and conviction. She received a gift of faith so deep and powerful that not even death could diminish it. Not death, not disappointment, nothing!

In running out to Jesus and in speaking with Him Martha proclaims the depth of that faith gift. Listen carefully: “Lord, even now I know…”

Even now… Despite, nevertheless, notwithstanding. No matter what has happened, even now I know You are Lord.

The key is that Martha recognized there was nothing more powerful than God. Faith demanded that she lay aside all mistrust. While Mary listened to Jesus, what did she take away from that listening? Was her trust increased? How was her faith at her brother’s tomb?

Martha believed Jesus could have healed her brother – same as Mary. Yet her faith differed. She exercised a much more powerful ‘even now’ faith. She saw more deeply because she knew Jesus could see her heart. She trusted Jesus completely because He revealed what her true concern should be – not in the kitchen, but in faith. She accepted the gift and made faith active.

If we look closely, Martha did not think Jesus would raise her brother. She knew he was dead She even told Jesus – look, he’s dead, he’s rotting already. And that is the power of her even now faith. She is our example. Everything hasn’t worked out, yet even now I trust in You, Lord.