One Thing Is Needful
July 22, 2007

Readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1: Gen. 18:1–10a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 15:2–3, 3–4, 5

Reading 2: Col. 1:24–28

Gospel: Lk. 10:38–42

Link to Readings

By Saint Augustine of Hippo

From Augustine’s Sermon 53 on the New Testament

The words of our Lord Jesus Christ that have just been read out of the Gospel, give us to understand that there is some one thing for which we must be making, when we toil amid the manifold engagements of this life. . . . Let us make for it, and that without sloth and without intermission, that we may some time be able to reach it.

Martha and Mary were two sisters, true kinswomen both, not only in blood, but in religion also; both clave to the Lord, both with one heart served the Lord when He was present in the flesh. . . .

Martha, who was arranging and preparing to feed the Lord, was occupied about much serving. Mary her sister chose rather to be fed by the Lord. She, in a manner, deserted her sister who was toiling about much serving, and she sat herself at the Lord’s feet, and in stillness heard His word. Her most faithful ear had heard already: “Be still, and see that I am the Lord.”

“You Are Occupied about Many Things . . .”

Martha was troubled, Mary was feasting; the one was arranging many things, the other had her eyes upon the One. Both occupations were good; but yet as to which was the better, what shall we say? We have One whom we may ask, let us give ear together. Which was the better, we heard now when the lesson was read, and let us hear again as I repeat it. Martha appeals to her Guest, lays the request of her pious complaints before the Judge, that her sister had deserted her, and neglected to assist her when she was so busied in her serving.

Without any answer from Mary, yet in her presence, the Lord gives judgment. Mary preferred as in repose to commit her cause to the Judge, and had no mind to busy herself in making answer. For if she were to be getting ready words to answer, she must remit her earnest attention to hear. Therefore the Lord answered, who was in no difficulty for words, in that He was the Word.

What then did He say? “Martha, Martha.” The repetition of the name is a token of love, or perhaps of exciting attention; she is named twice, that she might give the more attentive heed. “Martha, Martha,” hear: “You are occupied about many things: but one thing is needful;” for so means unum opus est, not “one work,” that is, one single work, but one is needful, is expedient, is necessary, which one thing Mary had chosen.

One Heart

Consider, Brethren, this “one thing,” and see if even in multitude itself anything pleases, but “this oneness.” See how great a number, through God’s mercy, you are: who could bear you, if you did not mind “one thing”? Whence in this many is this quiet? Give oneness, and it is a people; take oneness away, and it is a crowd. For what is a crowd, but a disordered multitude?

But give ear to the Apostle: “Now I beseech you, brethren.” He was speaking to a multitude; but he wished to make them all “one.” “Now I beseech you, brethren, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that you be perfected in the same mind, and in the same knowledge.” And in another place, “That you be of one mind, thinking one thing, doing nothing through strife or vainglory.” And the Lord prays to the Father touching them that are His: “that they may be one even as We are One.” And in the Acts of the Apostles; “And the multitude of them that believed were of one soul, and of one heart.” Therefore, “Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name in one together.”

For one thing is necessary, that celestial Oneness, the Oneness in which the Father, and the Son, and Holy Spirit are One. See how the praise of Unity is commended to us. Undoubtedly our God is Trinity. The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Father; the Holy Spirit is neither the Father, nor the Son, but the Spirit of both; and yet these Three are not Three Gods, nor Three Almighties; but One God, Almighty, the whole Trinity is one God; because One thing is necessary. To this one thing nothing brings us, except being many we have one heart.

The Better Part

Good are ministrations done to the poor, and especially the due services and the religious offices done to the saints of God. For they are a payment, not a gift, as the Apostle says, “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?” Good are they, we exhort you to them, yea by the word of the Lord we build you up, “be not slow to entertain” the saints. Sometimes, they who were not aware of it, by entertaining those whom they knew not, have entertained angels.

These things are good; yet better is that thing which Mary has chosen. For the one thing has manifold trouble from necessity; the other has sweetness from charity. A man wishes when he is serving, to meet with something; and sometimes he is not able: that which is lacking is sought for, that which is at hand is got ready; and the mind is distracted. For if Martha had been sufficient for these things, she would not have demanded her sister’s help. These things are manifold, are diverse, because they are carnal, because they are temporal; good though they be, they are transitory.

But what said the Lord to Martha? “Mary hath chosen that better part.” Not you a bad, but she a better. Hear, how better; “which shall not be taken away from her.” Some time or other, the burden of these necessary duties shall be taken from you: the sweetness of truth is everlasting. “That which she has chosen shall not be taken away from her.” It is not taken away, but yet it is increased. In this life, that is, is it increased, in the other life it will be perfected, never shall it be “taken away.”

Christ Will Feed Us

Yea, Martha, blessed in you good serving, even you (with your leave would I say it) seek this reward for all your labor—quiet. Now you are occupied about much serving, you have pleasure in feeding bodies which are mortal, though they be the bodies of Saints; but when you shall have got to that country, will you find there any stranger whom you may receive into your house? Will you find the hungry, to whom you may break your bread? Or the thirsty, to whom you may hold out your cup? The sick whom you may visit? The litigious, whom you may set at one? The dead, whom you may bury?

None of all these will be there, but what will be there? What Mary has chosen; there shall we be fed, and shall not feed others. Therefore there will be in fullness and perfection that which Mary has chosen here; from that rich table, from the word of the Lord did she gather up some crumbs.

For would you know what will be there? The Lord Himself says of His servants: “Verily I say unto you, that He will make them to sit down to meat, and will pass by and serve them.” What is “to sit down to meat,” but to “be still”? What is, “to sit down to meat,” but to rest? What is, “He will pass by and serve them”? First, He passes by, and so serves. And where? In that heavenly Banquet, of which he says, “Verily I say unto you, Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” There will the Lord feed us, but first He passes on from here.

For (as ye should know) the Pasch is by interpretation Passing-over. The Lord came, He did divine things, He suffered human things. Is He still spit upon? Is He still struck with the palm of the hand? Is He still crowned with thorns? Is He still scourged? Is He still crucified? Is He still wounded with a spear? “He has passed by.” And so too the Gospel tells us, when He kept the Paschal feast with His disciples. What says the Gospel? “But when the hour was come that Jesus should pass out of this world unto the Father.” Therefore did He pass, that He might feed us; let us follow, that we may be fed.

Saint Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) is a Doctor of the Church. Among his most influential works are his autobiographical Confessions and his defense of Christianity against paganism, City of God. For a biography of St. Augustine from The Catholic Encyclopedia, click here.

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