Wednesday, February 2, 2022
A Reprise: How Long?
I have loved you, says the Lord. But you say, “How long have you loved us?”
We are always wanting more God. What we have is never enough. We long for something and as soon as it arrives, we move on to the next desire. How easily we succumb to our anxieties . . . and how patient God is with us!
In Luke’s Gospel 10:38-42 we find the story of Mary at Jesus’ feet while Martha prepares dinner. When Martha complains about her needing help from her sister, Jesus reminds her that while we must eat, wear clothes and secure shelter, none of this has value if we do not know who we are and why we are. It is the story we might go to when we feel anxious about incomplete work, an empty pantry or overdrawn bank account. Perhaps we like the story because Jesus reminds us – as he reminds Martha – that none of our work is worth anything if it is not God’s work.
From the mini-reflection in MAGNIFICAT this morning: The presence of Christ changes the way we face reality. And without the presence of Christ, we are left prey to our anxiety, our inadequacy, our inability. But Christ comes to us, especially in our exasperation, and extends to us “the better part”. The Father is pleased “to reveal his Son to us” . . . pleased to have us receive him.
When we are told that God loves us, we often take this in and then immediately want more, and then we allow our fretfulness to take over. When we allow disquiet to settle into our bones there is no room for us to see that Jesus is also present to us – ready to take away our worries, ready to calm our fears. When we bustle through our list of chores, thinking our work more important than our resting in and with Christ, we are Martha rather than Mary.
God has not only revealed his son to us, he has adopted us as his children. God has taken us as his own. How long has God loved us? God has loved us since our first inception, God loves us still, and God will love us always.
Jesus says to Martha, 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.
Jesus says to us today. You are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Come, choose the better part and do not let it be taken from you. I love you now. I have always loved you.
We reply with a list of our fears and ask, How long will you love me and wait on me?
When we listen we hear Jesus say . . . I tell you: I will love you forever . . . and I will wait on you for an eternity. Come! Choose the better part, and do not let it be taken from you.
Cameron, Peter John. “Prayer for the Morning.” MAGNIFICAT. 5.10 (2010). Print.
Adapted from a Favorite written on October 5, 2010.
For more reflections on this prophecy, enter the word Malachi in the blog search bar and explore.
Image from: http://www.radicalfamilysabbatical.com/how-long-should-your-sabbatical-be/
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