Thoughts Along the Journey

Today is the feast of St. Martha.  You have probably heard of her, even if you don't know much about Scripture.  Her legacy seems to be that of someone who worked a lot, but needed to do something "better".  After all, her sister Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, which is the preferred role, rather than serving, right?  We'll get back to that question in a bit. I have to say, if Martha lived in 2013, she and I would be best friends.  I am SUCH a Martha-type personality.  Especially if there are people visiting.  I want everything "just so" and don't want any glitches:  burned food, lint on the carpet, an empty toilet paper roll...oh, just name it.  I don't want it to go wrong!  I also don't want to be the only one working to make things ready for guests.  I don't want it all to fall on my shoulders.  I may not have said anything to Jesus, but I definitely would have been rolling my eyes enough to get the message across. I ...

Today's readings for Daily Mass are from Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15; Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28; and Matthew 13:1-9.  The whole message I hear is this:  stop relying on what God gave you before.  He has something new for you--a new manna! If we keep longing for what we once had (those leeks and onions by the Nile--ick), we will never fully appreciate and receive what God has for us now (manna!). Something else I see here is the need to trust God daily.  The Israelites couldn't accumulate extra manna for the next day.  They had to trust that, each morning, it would fall from the sky, and they would have exactly what they needed. Oh, to have that complete trust in God's love and provision, for physical, spiritual, financial, and emotional needs.  Never leaving us in want.  Never running short.  Always exactly what we need--daily.                      ...