Today’s readings remind us of the importance of listening to God’s voice and heeding its commands. The first reading begins with the line, “The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time.” We all know what happened the first time the word of the Lord came to Jonah. He disobeyed and (in an image of what our life becomes when we disobey God’s call) he boarded a ship that quickly became storm tossed and was the ultimate victim of his action as he was tossed into the depths of the sea by the other sailors. We see from this reading the wonderful effects that result when Jonah chooses instead to follow God’s call: an entire city repenting of their sins!
Be Intentional
Heeding God’s voice, however, is not principally about punishments and rewards. The Gospel for today shows us that building intentional time to listen to God (also known as prayer) is essential to our spiritual life. While Martha is the image of real ‘go-getter’ and was actually the one to welcome Jesus into the house, it is her sister, Mary, who, in the words of Our Lord, “has chosen the better part [that] will not be taken from her.” By simply listening to Our Lord while sitting at His feet, Mary had become a living image of the heart of the spiritual life: prayer.
Listen
This theme is continued into today’s feast: Our Lady of the Rosary. Our Lady knew how to listen to the words of Our Lord better than anyone else. Her heart was an echo chamber of the voice of the Lord wherein she not only continually reflected upon the words and works of Jesus from the past (Lk 2:51), but was continually attentive to whatever the Lord should say to her next (Jn 2:5). By praying the Rosary, we shall share in that loving and immaculate heart as we meditate upon the life of Jesus through the mysteries of the day. If you have never prayed the Rosary, today is a great day to start. If you already pray a daily rosary, today is a great day to recommit yourself to praying it in the spirit of Our Lady, radically open to hearing the word of God and perfectly generous in responding to it.
