Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily

Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB
Archbishop of Perth

Sunday 20 July, 2025
St Mary's Cathedral, Perth

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Last Wednesday the Church celebrated the Feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Carmelite sisters at the convent in Nedlands had invited me to celebrate Mass with them on this special day.

Many of you would be aware of the Carmelite convent in Nedlands and some of you may be occasional or even regular visitors there.

The Carmelite sisters, of course, live a form of contemplative life in which their whole day is structured around regular times for common prayer in the convent chapel. Although the rules have been modified somewhat in recent times the sisters still  observe an atmosphere of silence and recollection, and they also maintain the ancient custom of enclosure. This means that most of the convent buildings and grounds are reserved for the sisters only. Other people are able to enter the enclosure only on rare occasions, and even in the convent chapel a section is reserved for the sisters only and is separated from the rest of the chapel by a grill.

These arrangements allow the sisters to live a life of silence, prayer and seclusion. The external separation from the wider community points to something much deeper: the sisters, in response to a particular call from the Lord, withdraw from the normal patterns of life in order to put God at the centre of everything.

In a slightly different way, the monks at the Benedictine monastery in New Norcia follow a similar pattern for a similar reason. Although their withdrawal from the normal patterns of life is not as complete as that practiced by the sisters they too, in response to a call received from the Lord, seek to put God at the centre of everything. In the words of Saint Benedict, their founder, they seek to prefer nothing to Christ.

These forms of contemplative and monastic life have been practised in the Catholic Church in one way or another from the earliest centuries of the Church’s life. Because this way of life is so radical and unusual, it is not surprising that people should look to the gospels to find a basis for this way of life. Very often, this search for a gospel foundation leads people to this morning’s gospel. While Martha is busy with the ordinary things of life, looking after the needs of her guest, Mary is content to just sit with the Lord listening to his word. When Martha complains about being left to do all the work, Jesus says to her that Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her. In the life of the Church over many centuries people have identified the contemplative and monastic life with this better part chosen by Mary. This explains why, in the popular understanding, religious life and in particular monastic and contemplative life is somehow seem to be a more perfect way of following Christ.

The religious life is indeed a wonderful way of giving expression to our love for the Lord and our desire to follow Him as closely as possible. The monastic and contemplative life, because it is so radical, seems to be the most perfect way of all. The truth is, however, that the perfect way for any of us to live as disciples of Jesus is the way of life we have chosen, or perhaps it is better to say to which God has led us through the experiences of our life, and to strive to do our best to live our discipleship faithfully and generously in the daily realities we face.

This is what the Second Vatican Council would call the Universal Call to Holiness. We receive this call when we are baptised and our task is to live out this call in every stage of life and in every form of life. Whether we are young or old, healthy or sick, rich or poor, married or single, male or female, the fundamental call is the same: to commit ourselves to being faithful followers of Jesus and witnesses of His love for all people.

What, then, is this morning‘s gospel story really all about? The answer can be found in Jesus’ response to Martha’s complaints. “Martha, Martha”, He says, “you worry and fret over so many things but only one thing is needed”. It is not Martha’s busyness which is the problem. It is not Martha’s determination to show practical hospitality to Jesus which is her problem. It is that she worries and frets; that she is anxious and distracted; that she is losing her patience with those around her. 

Perhaps Martha has forgotten, or had not heard, something which Jesus said on another occasion. “Do not worry about what you are to eat or drink, or what you are to wear - the Lord knows that you need these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be given to you” (cf. Matt 6:25-33). 

The great difference between Martha and Mary is not that one is practical and hard-working while the other is content to just listen to Jesus. The great difference is that one is so worried and distracted that she has lost sight of what really matters while the other has understood that Jesus is and has the Word of Life. By listening carefully to His word we find a peace and a trust in God that enables us not to lose sight of what life is really all about.

The way of life of the sisters in the convent at Nedlands or the monks at New Norcia is not a better or more perfect way of following Jesus. Rather it represents a gift from God who through that gift has given us a powerful reminder that no matter what the realities of our life may be we are all called in whatever ways we can to put the Lord at the centre of everything.

In Him we will find rest, in Him we will find peace, and in Him we will learn how to let go of our worries and distractions and place our trust in Him. We do not have to choose between the way of Martha and the way of Mary: there is room for both in the life of a disciple of Jesus.