Martha and Mary

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 462 – Tuesday, October 8, 2019

In today’s Gospel we have the story of Martha and Mary.  The time-honored interpretation is that Martha represents the ‘active life’ and Mary represents the ‘contemplative life.’  Blessed Titus Brandsma says “The lives of the Carmelite saints are evidence that the active and contemplative life can be combined and lead to holiness.”  Saint Teresa of Avila says it so much more simply; she says, “Martha and Mary must combine.”