Seeing the different actions and attitudes of Martha and Mary allows us to see Martha as a real woman who is in the process of becoming a saint. Whatever Martha’s spiritual growing pains were—whether they were jealousy or embarrassment over family—she learned to choose the better part. Martha became free; she became a saint! And in this freedom, all her hospitality, all her generosity, all her work is fruitful in new and supernatural ways. It helps us to heaven.
As the Church celebrates the Feast of St. James on July 25th, even if we can't go on a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle in the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela, we can be spiritual pilgrims. We can ask St. James, our friend, to help us to be open to the surprises of life and see them as arrows directing us always to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Nearness with Jesus. This is the new promised land that the new Moses, Jesus brings us into by this new covenant. Nearness, intimacy with Jesus who brings us to his Father where together, they breathe on us the Holy Spirit.
The Acts of the Apostles is not about the Twelve Apostles. It is primarily about two apostles: Peter and Paul. What is Luke trying to do by writing the Acts of the Two Apostles and why does the Church celebrate these two Saints together?