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By Fr. Roy Cimagala
Chaplain
Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)
Talamban, Cebu City
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
WE live in an age that celebrates multitasking. The busier a person is, the more important he appears. Calendars are packed, phones never stop buzzing, and the to-do list grows faster than it shrinks. We have become experts at doing many things at once, yet often forget to ask the most important question: Are we doing the one thing that truly matters?
That is the question hidden in the familiar Gospel of Martha and Mary (Lk. 10:38-42). Martha is not doing anything wrong. She welcomes Christ into her home and works hard to serve him. Hospitality is a virtue, not a vice. Her problem begins when activity crowds out intimacy. She becomes so absorbed in serving the Guest that she gradually loses sight of the Guest himself.
Mary, meanwhile, sits at the Lord's feet, listening to his words. To many, she appears unproductive. Yet Jesus surprises everyone by declaring that she has chosen "the better part," the one thing necessary that will not be taken away from her.
What is that one necessary thing? It is not inactivity. It is not abandoning work, family, or responsibility. Christ is revealing a principle that gives meaning to everything else: before we can do anything well for God, we must first be with God.
Everything begins there. Prayer is not an interruption of life. It is the foundation of life. A branch bears fruit only because it remains attached to the vine. The moment it separates itself, it begins to die, no matter how green it may still appear.
The same is true of the Christian. We can fill our days with worthwhile projects, charitable works, successful careers, and even religious activities. Yet if these are no longer nourished by a living friendship with Christ, they slowly become empty performances. The hands keep working while the heart quietly drifts away.
This explains why Jesus gently corrects Martha instead of praising her efficiency. "You are anxious and troubled about many things." Anxiety is often the sign that we have allowed secondary concerns to replace the primary one. We become exhausted not because we have too much to do, but because we try to carry everything without constantly placing ourselves before the Lord.
Ironically, the more deeply we pray, the more effective our work becomes. Time spent with God is never wasted time. It purifies our intentions, sharpens our judgment, strengthens our charity, and gives peace that no schedule can provide.
The saints repeatedly discovered this paradox. The most active among them were also the most contemplative. Their astonishing works flowed from long hours of silent union with God. Action and contemplation were never rivals. The first was the fruit of the second.
That remains the challenge for every Christian today. Our homes, workplaces, and even churches can become filled with activity while becoming strangely empty of recollection. We risk becoming managers of religious affairs instead of disciples who first listen to the Master.
The "one thing necessary" is therefore not one task among many. It is the center from which every task receives its direction. It is loving communion with Christ through prayer, faith, and obedience. Once that center is secure, work becomes worship, service becomes joyful, and ordinary duties become paths to holiness.
The lesson of Martha and Mary is not to choose prayer over work or work over prayer. It is to ensure that every action springs from a heart that first listens to God.
When Christ occupies the first place, everything else finds its proper place. Lose that one thing, and even success becomes empty. Keep that one thing, and every moment—even the busiest—becomes an encounter with the Lord.
