Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 

Get More Doing Less

There Is Need Of Only One Thing

Spirit of calm, help us slow down. We’re pulled in so many directions; there are too many distractions. Yet we want to make space to really listen—to ourselves, to each other, and to you. Quiet the noise inside and around us, so we can be present to what matters most. Amen.

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to pause and just be?

Neighbors meditated in silence at the House of Prayer in Mwanza, Tanzania. (Sean Sprague/Tanzania)

In the bustling city of Mwanza, Tanzania, where noise fills the air day and night, Maryknoll Father James Eble saw something deeper missing—space for silence. After years of parish ministry in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, where the nonstop clamor never let up, he recognized a different kind of hunger in the people he served. Just like Martha in the Gospel, always working and worried, many were caught in survival mode, unable to pause. So, in 2014, Fr. Eble founded the Lake House of Prayer—a quiet, lakeside retreat center where people could simply stop, listen, and reconnect with the deeper parts of themselves and with God. This seemed particularly important for the people who had migrated from the pastoral country to the bustling city. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, the guests at the House of Prayer are invited to choose the “better part”—stillness, reflection, and healing. Cell phones are turned off. There’s no TV or loud music. Instead, there’s space to breathe. Fishermen and traders, religious sisters and seminarians, even those of other faiths, come not for flashy programs, but for something much harder to find: peace. Guided by Father Eble and Maryknoll Lay Missioner Judy Walter, retreatants are taught to let go—of resentment, of noise, of the need to perform. They learn that just being present, in silence, can be a powerful act of faith. In a world constantly telling us to do more, this place reminds us: sometimes, the most important thing is to simply stop and be.

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Mission begins at the feet of Jesus. We live in a world that demands urgency and overwork, even in ministry, we are not exempt. But Jesus’ words to Martha teach us something essential. Justice flows not from anxiety, but from deep listening. With age and maturity comes a deeper longing for silence, stillness, and presence. Like Mary, we are invited to choose “the better part”: a contemplative heart that resists the pressure to do more and instead roots action in love. The work of justice requires pause, prayer, and perspective. The tumult of the world spurs us to a frantic pace, but we long for the stillness of presence with those we love, and with the Lord of peace. In those moments of contemplation, we are renewed for the journey. Sitting with someone, listening without an agenda, taking a breath before reacting—these are ways we live with more intention. Justice and love grow stronger when they’re rooted in stillness, not stress.

As a community, how can we find stillness, even in the midst of chaos?

Meditation is a way of listening to God in silence. Breathing is something we do without thinking—but when we pay attention to it, it can become a way to reset and reconnect with what really matters. This week, set aside five minutes each day to simply focus on your breath. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Notice the air moving in and out. As you breathe, imagine yourself sitting at the feet of Jesus, like Mary in the Gospel. With each breath, let your mind and body settle. Over time, this simple habit can help you find calm in the middle of chaos—and in that stillness, you may begin to sense the quiet presence of divine love.

God of stillness, thank you for reminding us that we don’t always need to do more—we sometimes just need to be present. When the pressure builds, help us pause. When we’re anxious, help us listen. Guide us to live from a place of peace, grounded in love. Amen.