Luke 10:41
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things…”
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Several years ago the National Anxiety Center in New Jersey, released the "Top Ten Anxieties for the 1990s." The list included AIDS, drug abuse, nuclear waste, famine, global terrorism and the federal deficit. Relentless worries carry a similar effect. They make us uneasy. They steal smiles from our faces. The world does not give peace. The world gives anxiety. We live in an anxious world.
In today’s gospel, there is one necessary thing that Jesus expects from all of us. His words show us that we have a choice. We can choose to feel burdened, anxious, and worried, and run around in a panic, or we can make a real effort to react otherwise. What did Mary do? She “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak.” She chose Jesus.
Before you do anything else, reflect on your list of worries. Take a good look through the current events of your life. What is it that has you anxious? Relax. Stop fretting about tomorrow or next week or next month. God specializes in getting you through the tough stuff. Be calm and start allowing the Spirit of god to enter your troubled soul.
Through the Holy Spirit we can hear God's voice today. Through the Holy Spirit we can learn what God is saying to us, and eventually put our anxieties to rest. Pray daily for Jesus to send the Spirit afresh to help us face our fears and find new hope. And through this, learn to love God more and more so that we can keep His word, and embrace all the wonder of a life freed up, with all our fears behind us.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You know every inch of my heart. I realize my life is in your big hands, but at times I forget, and I find myself so afraid and worried. Let me be grateful to my friends and family who are here to help me. Give me the grace to see that it is all right to let go of some things in my life now. Give me the grace to choose the better part – that is, choosing You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen +
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!
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