A Remedy for Martha’s Anxiety

  “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.” What is that only necessary thing? If we knew, we could perhaps overcome our worries and anxieties.

This necessary thing can be taken in two senses. First, it is the goal, that for the sake of which we do everything we do. Second, it is the next action in order to get closer to the goal. There is only one goal, one reason for which we should do everything we do. And there is only one action before us that will take us to that goal. We should only worry about that. If you want rest, if you want peace, you should only worry about the next action that will take you closer to God. Nothing else.

1.  This is why Jesus said once “come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). This is so true that, even in this life, all the things that can give a person rest can be found in Jesus: forgiveness, answers, peace, consolation, love, food and even comfort. Jesus Himself wanted to give His precious Blood the taste of wine. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. Only He can give happiness without end and without mixture of pain. Only He can teach us the way to happiness and give us the strength to walk on that way. The reason we worry about many things is because in none of them we can find happiness, but we keep trying, hoping that perhaps the next time that we get what we want, we will find peace… and we don’t… and we try again… How foolish we are! God has given us a clear map to find happiness in Him, and we keep circling around, following the changing desires of our heart, which is like a compass gone crazy, spinning out of control.

“There is need of only one thing.” If “the Lord is my shepherd,” then “there is nothing I shall want.” “God alone is enough.” When you make God the north of your desires, then you can walk safely, but you have not yet started to walk.

2.  To say that you want to reach heaven and do nothing about it, is like saying that you want to go to work and not getting out of bed. If you want to go somewhere, you have to move, you have to do something. At the same time, you cannot do many things at the same time. Some people say that they want to grow in the love of God and stop sinning. “OK, what are you going to do about that?” “Well, they say, I will pray the Rosary every day, I will start reading this book, I will go to mass every day, I will start a diet, I will not get angry when I am offended, I will not insult people in the highway…” No! Trying many things at the same time does not work. It’s like trying to go shopping and cooking at the same time. “Ok, one thing: I will pray more.” This does not work either! “Praying more” can mean many things and because of that it means nothing. Are you going to pray a rosary every day, or three Hail Mary when you go to bed, or what? The one thing we must do for the Lord is concrete, it can be pictured, imagined, prepared and, most importantly, it can be done. It is not something impossible but rather something within your reach.

One of the worse things that can happen is that we deceive ourselves, thinking that we are good because we have good intentions, that is, we want to grow, but we do not want to do what it takes. Another deception is thinking that doing what it takes is far from us, too difficult, impossible… when actually the first step is always within your reach. Many times, we get anxious and overwhelmed because we picture ourselves as having to do so many things… when we actually have to do only one thing. Only one step. The next.

Following Jesus is easy. He only asks one thing, and always something within your reach. This is why He gives you rest. We are tired: pleasing everyone is impossible, following our own greed and proud desires is tiring and overwhelming… But doing what He wants is easy, because He knows you, and so He knows what you can do; if you cannot do what He wants, He gives you the strength to do it; and you know He wants only what is best for you, what makes you happy.

3.  Martha was doing the right thing, but she was burdened by it. Perhaps she had forgotten for Whom she was working. Perhaps she was doing the work to get rid of the work, seeing in that work a burden rather than a means for something better. She was trying to do many things at the same time, but she had to do only one thing: serving Jesus. And of the two ways of serving Jesus in this life, Mary had chosen the most direct way, the best, which is listening to and loving Jesus directly.

-- Are you worried about many things? Are you trying to please people? Are you trying to please God and people? For how many people can you work? For how many people do you want to work? Jesus is the best boss. What is the one thing Jesus is asking from you? What is your next step? Remember: the next step is a concrete action, it is possible, and it is the only thing that will give you rest. May God give you the grace to see your next step, and the grace to rise and walk.