St. Martha  July 29

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Who:  St. Martha is probably the woman saint that many of us can identify with the most.

What can I say?Should we leave the dishes for other people to do on this day and just sit around instead?  I don’t really think that is what the “Saint” Martha would recommend. She learned her lesson the hard way.Yes, we do need to do our dishes, but Jesus must always be sought out first

To Pray: 
The Collect:
 Father, your Son honored St. Martha by coming to her home as a guest. By her prayers may we serve Christ in our brothers and sisters and be welcomed by you into heaven, our true home. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
To Eat and Discuss:  
​Is Jesus at our dinner table tonight?  Serve a many course dinner tonight of everyone’s favorites (She is the Patron of Cooks) and plan to sit and linger at the table longer than usual. 

Read this Mary/Martha story from Scripture:

Luke 10 USCCB New American Bible 38 “As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.39 She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. 40 Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." 41 The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. 42 There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Instead of jumping up to do the dishes, see if the conversation can go in this way:

"How are we as a family finding Jesus in our home?"

"Are we “busy and anxious” about many things that keep us from Jesus?"

When the conversation has taken its course then everyone can chip in to do the dishes!