Discipleship means we don’t always do what is socially or culturally acceptable.
As disciples we are called to be like Jesus Christ and ignore cultural, societal or even perceived legal obligations that conflict with putting God first in our life.
We are called to do things that might turn our world upside down. Transform our lives.
We are called to true discipleship where we give everything over to Jesus Christ, open all the options up, let go of all our fears, anxieties and worries and say, “Jesus Christ, whatever you want of my life, whatever you ask of me, wherever you ask me to go, I will do it.“ To truly answer, “Here I am Lord, Call me.”
We are called to transform, radically change things because that is what he did by coming into the world.
We often times have adopted the ways of the world we live in. Our actions, while kind and even charitable, responsible and well meaning, look a lot like anyone else we see living in Austin, Texas.
And we come here each Sunday with our worries and world of anxieties heaped up on our shoulders.
For some of us, if we could see our mental and spiritual baggage, we might see huge bags of worries and fears and anxieties and things to do, dragging behind us as we walk into this church, preventing us from being really present, preventing us from truly transforming. From truly changing.
It’s not that we don’t try.
We try to make small changes, minor attempts. As long as they don’t interfere and or make us let go of the baggage from this world
Like at Lent we might decide to give something up or even give to others. We might at other times decide to add to our prayers, yea, maybe another Our Father at night to close things.
We make small sacrifices, add small actions in attempts to babystep our way to Jesus and to true discipleship but it never works.
Year after year we do the same things, and we live the same life and we find the same results, less joy than we expected. Less understanding and peace with our lives and families. And no significant change in our relationship to God.
But isn’t the formula for a relationship with God the same as the relationship with others, with our spouses?
We don’t enter into marriage and just sort of commit to them. We don’t get married and tell our wife that we will be a little more exclusive to her every day. And will honor her a little more each day.
We don’t tell our husband after we wake up the day after our wedding, honey, I will try and put you ahead of others, but I will have to do it one person at a time…and there are several others ahead of you right now…
No, that would be nonsense.
It’s the same with God. He expects us to commit to discipleship full time, all in, all of our life and hopes and dreams onboard the ship that sails for the kingdom of God.
He expects us to change, transform, become like Mary and break social convention in order to be with him. That’s what she did. A woman in that time and place would never take the position reserved for a male disciple.
God expects us to be like Mary and even put aside social hospitality and social obligations if required to spend time with Jesus Christ.
For us, that means we do not give God the dregs of our day to spend with him in quiet and peace but the best part of our day. We don’t place anything ahead but commit to spend quiet time with him without the many worries that plague us like Martha was worried about.
We can start with Sunday Mass and be sure we come here with quiet minds and hearts focused like Mary on Jesus alone. Nothing in our life is as important for these few minutes, than focusing on Jesus Christ. And like Mary he will be with us in body and blood. Why would we do anything but be with him, right now. Let go of the world and worries for this morning.
And if we can do that, then maybe we can start each day of the rest of the week making with time for God. For if we don’t have time in the morning to pray, we are not getting up early enough.
We can also take time during the day. If we don’t have time during the day to spend quietly with him but have time to eat, then we need to decide which is more important in our life. Physical food or spiritual food. I know these may be tough words and may sound unrealistic, but Jesus was quite clear today. Even his own nourishment was second to sharing the word with Mary and Martha.
Transformation is what is required of us.
A change so profound it drives what we do with our lives, work and time. Not the other way around.
This world and our worries and schedules and daily demands should not dictate our relationship with God but that is what is happening for many of us.
And just like a marriage it requires commitment and discipline to build discipleship as the foundation for our life.
Where are we at today?
Do we go to church at a time that is convenient and doesn’t interfere with other activities?
Do we pray only after we have finished everything else?
Are we like Martha who sticks to the society and cultural worries and rules when Jesus is waiting to talk to her? Or are we like Mary who gets it and sits down, putting the world aside and focus on being with Christ.
Jesus is asking us to transform and to put nothing ahead of our relationship with God.
Preparing meals is a good thing. It’s a sacred thing to prepare and serve others food.
Work is honorable and required of most of us. Taking care of others and our families is part of being a good Christian.
But these are done only after we have prayed and heard God’s will for us…for our life and our day. -Only after we have offered and dedicated our day, work and family to him.
Its not an either-or kind of thing.
Our calling is to be in this world but not of this world. As a child of God and a citizen of Heaven, always remembering Heaven is our home and our time here is to be lived as radically as Jesus did. God first, then everything else can be done in balance and in devotion to God. It is only through a radical transformation in how we live our life that true joy and peace can be found in this world for the disciple of Jesus Christ.
What is driving our life today? Earthly demands or spiritual demands?
Where is our treasure? Here or in heaven?
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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