“Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? And why are you so disquieted within me?”

In a recent class conducted by one of the parishioners at Resurrection, a question was posed. “Are you Martha, or are you Mary?” It’s a simple question, really; do you find yourself busy with tasks and catering to others most of the time? Or are you more the type to sit back and be still, listening to those around you and being present in the moment? Hint: There is no right or wrong answer, here.

We all know each type. And, as always, that is a sliding scale, not a fixed extreme state. However, everyone falls into one camp or the other, severity differing per person. Anyone who knows me knows that I run for Mayor of Nothingville almost all the time. I like people and I show that through acts of service. It is my love language. My wife, Nic, is the opposite. No, no, she likes people…don’t get it twisted…but her way of being present is a balm to my soul, and to those around her. I admire her for that. She says she admires the way I care for people. It takes both.

But what happens when our souls are out of sync with the Holy Spirit? What happens when that active nature is prone to its own desires, rather than those of God? Or the quiet listener becomes the retreating recluse? Psalms 42 and 43 contain the question, “Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? And why are you so disquieted within me?” The answer: From a reliance on God rather than oneself. Sometimes we become so involved and invested in our own doings—and even in the doings of the Holy—that we forget to bring our souls in line with what we’re doing.

I hope we each remember who we serve, and why. I hope I will recognize that my gifts of bringing people joy through service are given by God, and that I stop to thank and praise before planning and doing. I hope that Nic can do something similar in her context. And I hope you can, too. Our souls are best at rest when we are our authentic selves—rooted in God, and behaving like the creatures he made us to be. Then the question of heaviness turns to light, and the disquiet turns to a joyful noise or a serene state, doing that which pleases God and fulfills our souls.

Faithfully,

Fr. Sean+