God is Present in our Work

The earliest memories I have of my mother are those of how she loved to set the table with all the proper appointments -- matching placemats, crystal, plates and silverware. Every detail was attended to -- and the table was always set, even when there was no dinner planned. She would change out the glassware, or the tablecloth, or the placemats, to offer different dining presentations. She was always ready for the unexpected guest. It was a perfect model for me, and the life I would grow into here at St. John Neumann.

I've always been a "Martha" in Jesus' circle, ready to manage the cleanup, do the dishes. Particularly in my church work, it often means that I'm in the kitchen after every event. And for many years, it was carried out with such resentment, because after the more thrilling hours of planning and setup, and several fun hours of meeting and greeting, I felt like I was left in the kitchen "holding the bag." In reality, it was my ineptness at organizing volunteers to take care of the cleanup. I so clearly remember an occasion almost a decade ago, when I had been on my feet for 10 hours preparing for Our Lady of Guadalupe's celebration. We had successfully hosted and served a marvelous crowd of several hundred parishioners. By 10pm I was the only one left in the building, and I was on my knees trying to scrape the glitter glue off the floor where the craft activities had been carried out.

The authors address this issue in Chapter 5 and remind us that God is present in our work. "As we prepare a place for others, something happens inside of us: We are prepared also." In recent years, certainly with the help of more prayer and reflection, and the wisdom to hire a maid as backup in the kitchen, I've realized that it's kind of like being a monk in a monastery. Their work IS their prayer. And even though Jesus told Martha that there was nothing wrong with her sister Mary just sitting at His feet and listening to His words, He recognized the contribution of Martha as well. We all have our avenues of prayer, and once I understood that part of my prayer life was served out in the kitchen, the work became so much more joyful.

The details matter in welcoming the stranger, even when it takes time to clean up afterwards.

Blessings to you for the week,
Nancy Biehler