“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.” (LK 10:41). In her book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life, Joanna Weaver states: “All over the world, people go to unimaginable lengths to find God—which is sad when you consider the unimaginable lengths God has already gone to find us. . . .When we decide to pray instead of worry—when we choose to have a grateful heart in not-so-great circumstances—then the peace of God comes and takes us into “protective custody.” It stands guard at the door of our heart, transcending, surpassing, and confounding our own human understanding, bringing us peace.”

Jesus’ attention to Mary and of course Martha in Luke’s gospel wasn’t focused completely on the balance between work/service or time to be still; likely Jesus was focusing on Martha’s worrying, her anxiety. Jesus cherished his friendship with the two sisters and their brother Lazarus, and knew the strength of faith within each sibling. But Martha’s ‘worrying’ was stifling her faith, limiting her trust in a God who loved each of them equally, and to accept that life isn’t about equality within circumstances, but the grace received, acknowledged, and offered forward, so to speak.

A man hired a carpenter to help him restore an old farmhouse. The carpenter had a rough first day on the job.  First – a flat tire made him lose an hour of work. Then his electric saw quit. And at the end of the day – his pickup truck refused to start. 

 While the man who hired him drove him home – the carpenter sat in stony silence. On arriving home – the carpenter invited the man to come in and meet his family.

As they walked toward the front door – the carpenter paused briefly at a small tree – touching the tips of the branches with both hands. 

Upon opening the door – he underwent an amazing transformation. 

His tanned face was wreathed in smiles as he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. After introducing the man to his family – the carpenter walked the man to the car.  They passed the tree and the man’s curiosity got the better of him. He asked the carpenter about what he had seen him do earlier.  

“Oh, that’s my ‘Trouble Tree’,” the carpenter replied. “I know I can’t help having worries on the job – but one thing’s for sure – my anxieties don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.”  Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”  (The Worry Tree by Henry Hansch III)

Maybe just coincidental but there are passages in scripture describing Jesus’ crucifixion on a ‘tree.’ “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24).

In Acts 5:30, 10:39, and 13:29, Jesus’ crucifixion is likewise described as that which took place on a tree.

On This Day.... (Author unknown) 

Mend a quarrel ~ Search out a forgotten friend ~ Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust

Write a letter ~ Share some treasures ~ Give a soft answer ~Encourage youth ~  Manifest your loyalty in a word or deed ~ Keep a promise ~ Find the time ~  Forego a grudge ~ Listen ~Apologize if you were wrong ~Try to understand ~ Defy envy ~ Think first of someone else ~Appreciate, be kind, be gentle ~ Laugh a little more ~   Take up arms against malice ~ Express your gratitude ~ Pause a moment with God ~

Take pleasure in the strength of a single tree-large or small, young or old, weathered or graceful.  

And, be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be Still. (Psalm 46)     

God Bless, Fr. Tim      

FYI: “July is like the sunniest hour of the day.” (William Cullen Bryant)