A Relationship With Jesus?
We all crawl before we learn to walk.
We learn words before we learn sentences.
We learn the alphabet before we learn to read.
We splash around in the water before we learn to swim.
We learn musical notes before we learn to play an instrument.
We are Brownies and Cub Scouts before we are Girl or Boy Scouts.
We play in the Little League before we play in Junior or Varsity sports.
We begin at school in Pre-K or Kindergarten before we are in elementary, junior or high school.
We graduate from high school before we go to college.
It’s a fact of life, and something we all know and accept – that there are certain activities, life choices and decision that necessarily precede others.
And the same is true of our Christian faith.
When we accept Jesus as God, when we profess to believe what he teaches and accept the Sacraments from His Church, then we begin a process of becoming his authentic followers.
Yet, being an authentic follower is a process, not an event. We’re not authentic followers when we compete our religious education classes – although that’s part of it.
We’re not authentic followers because we attend Mass on Sunday – although that’s part of it.
We’re not Christians simply because we call ourselves Christians or wear a Christian symbol around our neck. Just consider the number of people who wear Christian symbols and yet their lives are contrary to what these religious symbols mean.
Being an authentic process – again – is a process. We become authentic followers when we commit ourselves to the process of centering our lives on Jesus – a process that will forever depend on building, sustaining and deepening our relationship with Jesus.
We all know that relationships aren’t automatic. We know that relationships require time, attention, and effort. The same is true of our relationship with Jesus.
We’re here – even if sometimes we don’t feel it – because we all want a relationship with Jesus. We want to know he’s real. We want to feel his presence. We want to carry him with us wherever we go.
Yet, to establish and sustain a relationship with Jesus requires that we all begin where all Christians begin.
Our relationship with Jesus requires that we become people of profound prayer. That’s not the same as saying a few memorized prayers. It means that we cultivate, through the practice of prayer, a deep and abiding sense that God is with us always, no matter where we are, no matter what we’re doing.
Our relationship with Jesus also requires that we become people who are committed to worship. We must be committed to being with our brothers and sisters, who are also seeking a relationship with Jesus, in the act of public worship of our unseen God. That’s not the same as simply being at church on Sunday mornings, taking up space in a pew, and doing what everyone else is doing. It means that we try, no matter what’s going on in our lives or how we feel, to focus on what we’re doing at worship.
And our relationship with Jesus also requires that we become people of service – that we learn to serve God by loving and serving his people. That’s not the same as simply doing charitable deeds.
These are the first steps in building a relationship with Jesus.
We have two wonderful examples of what it’s like to enjoy this type of relationship with the Lord.
First, we have Abraham.
We all know this story of the stranger who visits Abraham at his camp. Yet, it seems that both Abraham and we all know who the stranger is – it is God. Pay attention to how Abraham receives God into his home – he makes God welcome, he shows the Lord hospitality. I suppose it’s probably a strange idea for us to consider that we have a responsibility to show God hospitality, but it is what we must do. Just like Abraham, we must be ready to stop everything in order to be with Jesus.
Everyone knows what it’s like when a dear friend or close relation suddenly shows up at our home. We all drop what we’re doing. We invite them in and usually we offer them something to drink or eat. Even if it’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon and there’s nothing set out to eat – if a guest suddenly shows up we put everything else aside and prepare refreshments. That’s how Abraham treated God. He does it because he’s accustomed to doing it for God. Abraham is always available. He’s always waiting with a warm welcome, and he is simply overjoyed whenever he has the opportunity to spend some time with God.
Now we come to Mary. We also know this story well. If you’ve forgotten – Martha and Mary are Lazarus’ sisters, but Lazarus isn’t present in this gospel passage. Jesus was simply passing through town and he, for whatever reason, decides to stop in and visit the sisters. Martha and Mary show Jesus hospitality. Now, don’t get the idea that Jesus criticizes Martha in this passage. No, that’s not what he’s doing. Poor Martha – she does what all of us would do – she scurries around trying to put something together for Jesus to eat. Still, for some reason, Martha begins to lose her focus. She starts to focus too much on her tasks and not enough on Jesus, and she then becomes testy, like we’re tempted to do many times.
Who of us doesn’t know what it’s like to be distracted? We know the experience. It’s like when we sit down to pray and instead of concentrating on God we’re distracted by thoughts of other things. We know what it’s like to be distracted at Mass, as well. We come, probably telling ourselves that we’re going to pay close attention to Father Mark’s homily, even though he tends to ramble on and on. Still, the moment Father begins to talk, we start thinking of other things – our minds wander. So, we all know what it’s like to be distracted.
That’s why Jesus responds to Martha like he does. He’s reminding her that the meal shouldn’t cause her distress. After all, it doesn’t matter what they eat – the important thing is to stay close to, and focused on Jesus.
That’s what Mary does. She sits at Jesus’ feet. She concentrates on what he’s saying. She hangs on his every word. And, from what we hear in the passage, it seems that Mary is very comfortable sitting and listening to Jesus. She’s just like Abraham in that way – she’s happy to be in his presence. She’ll put everything else aside – she’ll be constantly available – anything for the Lord.
With these two models before us today – it might be a very good time for us to stop and reflect on our relationship with Jesus.
Are we like Abraham and Mary? Are we always available to God? Do we show him hospitality? Do we hang on his every word? Are we comfortable in his presence? If we’re not, if something is underdeveloped or missing, then it’s probably time for us to recommit ourselves to the Lord.
It’s a choice that only we can make. If we want a relationship with Jesus then we must – just like splashing around before learning to swim – we must do what’s required. We must commit ourselves to becoming people of profound prayer, constant worship, and dedicated service. If we will, then the outcome is certain – we will have a relationship with the Lord.