I’m elbow-deep in a laundry basket of clean clothes, sky-scraper piles of onesies towering around me, when I hear the cacophony in the playroom begin to escalate. I grit my teeth but keep folding.

The wails and cries—most definitely proclaiming massive injustice over the hardships of sharing—continue to rise. I fold harder and faster, but I don’t even consider abandoning my post. This laundry has been waiting for weeks and sits firmly at the top of today’s to-do list. It needs to get done.

After all, I am serving and loving my children by folding their mountains of laundry, right?

Only when the screams reach record levels do I hear a quiet, convicting voice deep within me.

Yes, you are loving your family in the laundry. But what’s the best way to love them right now?

I flush, both angry and embarrassed, and demolish a few skyscrapers on my way out the door. When I am finally able to calm the emotions of my small humans, I breathe in a moment of quiet and thanksgiving.

Thank You, God, for reminding me that while folding the laundry was good, there were higher priorities You had planned for me. Thank You for gently nudging me away from the lesser part and toward the greater one. 

The Necessity of Prioritization

Friends, our lives are full and busy. There is so much to accomplish and always another task to cross off our to-do list.

The challenge usually isn’t choosing between something good and something bad. That is why it can be hard to know how to prioritize the tasks, duties, chores, responsibilities, dreams, and aspirations that fill our days.

But just because you and I struggle to find and choose the right priorities, that doesn’t mean we are far off the path to Sainthood. 

The Saint of the Day 

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Martha.

There are two main accounts of Martha in the Gospels. The first occurs when the Lord lovingly chides her for being overly concerned with serving Him and His disciples in her home. The second takes place after the death of her brother Lazarus, when Martha boldly proclaims her faith and trust in Jesus’ healing and saving power. 

Today, I’d like to focus on the first.

This is one of my favorite Bible passages. Why? Because I can relate to Martha.

Luke 10:38-42 tells us about Martha and her sister Mary as they host Jesus and His disciples in their home. While their house is blessed with holy visitors, Mary simply sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to His teaching. Martha, however, becomes distracted and overwhelmed “by her many tasks.” Frustrated, she complains to Jesus that she is doing all the work without Mary’s help.

Jesus doesn’t throw Martha the pity-party she seeks. Instead, He gently reminds her of the most important priority in that moment: 

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). 

Notice that Jesus does not condemn Martha’s service. Hospitality is good. Serving others is good. Caring for a home is good. His correction is not about choosing good over evil, but about recognizing the greater good in that particular moment.

Responding to the Lord’s Gentle Correction

The Bible doesn’t tell us how Martha responds.

Maybe she throws up her hands in frustration and storms off to prepare more food, clean another room, or attend to other guests. Maybe she begrudgingly sits down in a huff, just waiting to see the house fall into ruin without her constant work and upkeep.

I know I would be tempted to respond that way.

Yet I find it more convincing to imagine that, upon hearing this gentle correction from Jesus, Martha willingly sets aside the tasks and responsibilities of the house and joins Mary at His feet. I find it believable that she says no to the good of being a servant and keeper of the house in order to say yes to being a daughter of God. 

Called to Be Like Martha

In one way or another, we are all called to be like Martha. It is an invitation we are given every day. 

Maybe it looks like saying no to watching one more episode in the evening and saying yes to spending quality time with your spouse.

Maybe it looks like saying no to the snooze button and saying yes to a few extra minutes of quiet prayer.

Maybe it looks like setting aside good and healthy hobbies for a season in order to embrace something new the Lord is placing on your heart.

Maybe it looks like saying no to the seemingly endless demands of your state in life and saying yes to what truly matters.

Maybe it looks like saying no to the skyscrapers of laundry—or whatever else you are determined to accomplish today—and instead saying yes to being fully present to the people God has placed in front of you.

Maybe it looks like saying no to the good things of this world in order to say yes to things of eternal value. 

Each of us must discern what that looks like in our own lives.

But even when we feel as though we are choosing wrong, or our priorities never seem to fall into place, we can find comfort in this: Our worrisome, overwhelmed, and anxious friend Martha became a Saint! And we can become Saints too.

God sees our hearts. He knows our intentions and motivations. He is infinitely merciful. He does not demand perfection from us. He can correct our disordered priorities and still use them for good.

Let us strive to choose the better part while trusting that He can take our imperfect efforts and transform them into something beautiful. 

From one imperfect woman to the rest of the imperfect women in the world: There is more than enough hope for all of us. 

Saint Martha, pray for us!