16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C - 21/7/2013 - Gospel: LL 10: 38-42
The needs
What I want is a choice. It is good to have it but it is alright if I don't have it. What I need is important because it is something I must have for survival. It is important for my well being. Both wants and needs I would love to have but want is less important while needs are necessary for life because the former one is for life entertainment while the latter one is for life nourishment.
There are different kinds of needs that I must have and my needs keep changing from time to time. I need to be alone today but tomorrow I need to have friends. Today I need someone to talk to; next day I need someone to listen to. I need to express my feelings when I receive good news I need someone to share my joy to make my happiness grow. When bad news arrives I also need some to mourn with me to lighten my grief. When we share happiness it makes it grow bigger and when we share grief it makes it weak or less.
Whether it is spiritual needs, psychological or physical needs they are all important for the well being of a person. Sometimes I know what I need. My instinct tells me I need something and yet I don't know exactly what is it. My need is hidden from my eyes. I go looking for it but can't find it. It is not easy to look for something I need and I am unable to name it. My physical needs are obvious. I know them and have no trouble naming them. It is hard to name my psychological needs. It is harder to find out my spiritual needs through my own efforts. When confronted with something I need and unable to name them. It is more likely that it belongs to the realm of the spiritual needs. When I refuse to respond to the spiritual needs I feel I am not happy. The emptiness in me is great. I lost the enthusiasm to do anything. I see the aimless of life and there is no hope in the future. When these feelings appear they are signs telling me that I need to have spiritual input to fill my life with hope and joy.
Unlike physical needs the body reacts strongly demanding to have it filled, while spiritual needs react differently. It takes away my happiness and peace of mind and makes me feel lonely. God alone can satisfy the spiritual needs. People try to escape their loneliness they look for happiness look for joy and happiness at pub and club and they turn to substances to soothe the problems. The end result makes them unhospitable person and lose sensitivity to the needs of others.
The Gospel tells us that we don't have to travel far to find peace. We can find it within our home, with people whom we live with and with the community of faith where we worship. Martha could not find peace of mind from her business of life while Mary found the peace of mind from sitting under the feet of Jesus.
There are different kinds of needs that I must have and my needs keep changing from time to time. I need to be alone today but tomorrow I need to have friends. Today I need someone to talk to; next day I need someone to listen to. I need to express my feelings when I receive good news I need someone to share my joy to make my happiness grow. When bad news arrives I also need some to mourn with me to lighten my grief. When we share happiness it makes it grow bigger and when we share grief it makes it weak or less.
Whether it is spiritual needs, psychological or physical needs they are all important for the well being of a person. Sometimes I know what I need. My instinct tells me I need something and yet I don't know exactly what is it. My need is hidden from my eyes. I go looking for it but can't find it. It is not easy to look for something I need and I am unable to name it. My physical needs are obvious. I know them and have no trouble naming them. It is hard to name my psychological needs. It is harder to find out my spiritual needs through my own efforts. When confronted with something I need and unable to name them. It is more likely that it belongs to the realm of the spiritual needs. When I refuse to respond to the spiritual needs I feel I am not happy. The emptiness in me is great. I lost the enthusiasm to do anything. I see the aimless of life and there is no hope in the future. When these feelings appear they are signs telling me that I need to have spiritual input to fill my life with hope and joy.
Unlike physical needs the body reacts strongly demanding to have it filled, while spiritual needs react differently. It takes away my happiness and peace of mind and makes me feel lonely. God alone can satisfy the spiritual needs. People try to escape their loneliness they look for happiness look for joy and happiness at pub and club and they turn to substances to soothe the problems. The end result makes them unhospitable person and lose sensitivity to the needs of others.
The Gospel tells us that we don't have to travel far to find peace. We can find it within our home, with people whom we live with and with the community of faith where we worship. Martha could not find peace of mind from her business of life while Mary found the peace of mind from sitting under the feet of Jesus.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia