Not by bread alone

Lent is a very special time on the Liturgical Calendar; and although we can speak to the Lord at any time of the year, Lent is quite unique and I feel it’s a wonderful gift for us when we get a whole forty days and nights to draw closer to the Lord, to relish in his word, to deepen our
relationship with him and enrich our very being.

Each year I find myself looking forward to this time with such excitement and anticipation of being able to soak it all up and really be fed by the Holy Spirit; but this year, what with a hectic work load both at the office and at home I found myself trying unsuccessfully to fit Lent into my busy schedule.

What will I do? Give up sweets?, Visit the Blessed Sacrament? Say the Rosary? Daily Mass? Where will I find the time? It was with more than a little trepidation that I made myself sit down to meditate on the very nature of Lent hoping for some kind of light bulb moment. It was during this time it occurred to me that I was wasting all this time trying to work this out when I could get right to the crux of the matter and start listening and speaking directly to the Lord and let him take the lead.

That was when I remembered the Scripture of Martha and Mary. That very act of surrendering to the Father can kick start that life giving flow of love, begin the most beautiful bonding experience and help us to sit at his holy feet, simply and attentively just like Mary; pondering everything that Jesus, her master said.

Our Lord makes it clear in the scriptures that although he was not at all ungrateful nor did he rebuke Martha for the hospitality that she so lovingly showed him while visiting .i.e. the many household duties, cleaning and tidying the house, making it comfortable and warm for him as well as preparing him a meal, but when she asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her with this he tells Martha that she is anxious about many things and that there is really only need for one thing and he goes onto say that Mary has chosen the ‘BETTER PART’ and that no-one should take this
away from her.

Mary recognised that when Jesus visited their home, the welcome he sought most was their time, their openness to him and his love, pure and simple. While Martha was running rings around herself and the Lord, Mary was sitting at his feet, listening and loving him. And so since that day, although I have started to pray more and I have given up sweets, or truth be told I’m trying to give them up! What I am doing is sitting at the feet of the Lord, quietly and attentively listening a while to what he is saying, paying attention to the beautiful presence of the Lord to let him fill me with his grace and I realise that it is only in being filled can I give out to others in the way that he wants me to. It is not complicated as I had thought during my hectic period on the contrary it is very simple and also very rewarding. Just relax, sit at the feet of the Lord and love him. Praise be to Jesus.