“How to Find the ‘Better Part’” - 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time Homily

I was able to get down to the beach on Thursday and Friday, down to Bethany, played in the sand a little bit, not by the ocean but on the golf course.

A couple days, just a little whiff of a vacation was enough to say, all work hard, we like, hopefully enjoy our work, find it fulfilling, service is the greatest work, but we

do enter into this better part of which Jesus speaks.

that Mary is enjoying in His presence.

It is still a little strange knowing that the majority of the gospel is about what we're supposed to do.

Work.

Serve.

All the things Jesus commands us to do, to give of ourselves.

And that's what Martha is doing.

Martha is serving, serving, serving.

She's being hospital like Abraham.

And she's caring very much for the experiences Jesus would have in her home.

So that's very much a part of the gospel, very much Christ-like.

What is not is this worry and anxiousness.

That is not of Christ.

That's what he calls her out on.

That Mary is enjoying the peace and calmness.

This is the better part that we experience when we are taking a rest or finding refreshment.

It sounds just to talk about it is refreshing.

To talk about refreshments.

To talk about getting rest.

Recreation.

Three ways to find this better part.

The first is quiet.

Just if you're driving down the road and you turn off the radio, ah, it's nice.

Silence can be beautiful.

Christ in His presence, that's what Mary is experiencing.

Martha would experience it later.

People here are experiencing and their feedback is this is the better part in terms of the peace, especially in His presence and the good.

Abraham offers the good and it's through that he specifically says take a break, take a rest, be refreshed with the good things that he offers.

So as busy as we are and as focused we are as our work that is good.

And it's Christ-like, we are searching for the better part in the quiet, in Christ, in His presence, and in the good.