In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sometimes the most powerful lessons come not from dramatic events, but from quiet moments — the ordinary spaces of everyday life. Today’s Gospel takes us into one such space: the home of two sisters. Not a grand cathedral, not a crowded street — but a living room. A kitchen. A conversation. And yet here, in this small and intimate encounter, Jesus speaks one of the most searching truths of the Gospel: “There is need of only one thing.”

Let’s enter that space slowly and prayerfully — not just to hear a story about Mary and Martha, but to discover where we ourselves are sitting in that house, and what Jesus might be saying to us.

“Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.”

Let’s pause here. Martha welcomed Jesus. What a beautiful beginning.

We all begin our life of faith by welcoming Christ — into our hearts, our homes, our stories. It’s easy to overlook how significant that is. Amid the noise and speed of the world, Martha made space for Jesus. She opened her door. She made room.

And yet — as many of us know — even good intentions can be quickly overtaken by distraction.

“But Martha was distracted by her many tasks...”

Martha’s hospitality is good, generous, even necessary. She is not doing anything wrong — but she is distracted.

And the word Luke uses is telling: Martha isn’t just busy — she’s pulled away, inwardly divided, emotionally scattered. Sound familiar?

Our lives are often full of good things — work, care, commitments, church, family — but we can become so focused on the tasks that we miss the Person who is right there in our midst.

Martha is doing for Jesus — but in her anxiety, she’s forgetting to be with Him.

How often do we live like this? Always preparing, serving, thinking ahead — but spiritually absent? How often are we in the same room with God, but not truly present to Him?

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?”

There’s something vulnerable in Martha’s complaint. Underneath the irritation is a cry we all recognise: Lord, do you not care?

She feels overlooked. Alone. And perhaps even resentful of Mary’s stillness. She sees Mary’s stillness as laziness. But Jesus sees it as openness.

Isn’t that what happens when we become anxious and overwhelmed? We lose perspective. We begin to compare. We even question the kindness of God.

But look how gently Jesus responds.

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things...”

There is such tenderness in the repetition of her name — “Martha, Martha.” Jesus isn’t scolding her. He’s calling her back to herself.

He names the restlessness. Not to shame her, but to invite her into a deeper stillness. Her heart is pulled in every direction. She is doing everything except the one thing that matters most: being with Him.

And isn’t this true of so many of us? We are full of noise — not just outside, but inside. Constant motion. Constant concern. We do not know how to stop. How to rest. How to listen.

Jesus names the condition of her soul, not to criticize, but to offer her another way.

“There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Mary, in contrast, is not distracted. She is still. She is listening.

And Jesus says that she has chosen the “better part.” Not because doing is wrong, but because being with Him — truly attentive — is what we are made for. That still, listening presence at His feet is the place of transformation. That is the posture of discipleship.

The “better part” is not something we earn. It’s something we choose. It’s not dramatic. It’s often quiet. And the world may not understand it. But Jesus says, “It will not be taken away.”

Everything else may shift — our health, our work, our plans. But what we receive in the presence of Christ — no one can take that.

We live in a world of many things — many demands, many opinions, many pressures. But Jesus gently reminds us: one thing is needed.

That “one thing” is not about doing more or fixing ourselves. It’s not about striving or performing. It is about attending. Listening. Loving. Trusting.

The “one thing” is Christ Himself — and the grace that comes from simply being with Him.

This week, take time to return to that quiet room in Bethany. Sit with Jesus. Say nothing, or say very little. Let Him speak your name. Let Him name your distractions, and let Him remind you of the one thing that truly matters.

You do not need to do more for Him right now. You need to be with Him. That is the better part. And it will not be taken from you.

Lord Jesus,
In the midst of all that pulls me in different directions,
Help me to choose the better part.
Give me a still heart,
A listening soul,
And a deep love for You that rises above all distractions.
May I, like Mary, sit at Your feet —
Not just in times of quiet, but in the movements of everyday life.
Teach me the rhythm of prayerful presence.
For You are the one thing needed.
Amen