Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-5; Luke 10: 38-42

The words seemed to almost jump off the page.   Even after putting down the book, they continued to haunt.  So, I found myself returning to them over and over again.  Americans, it read, think we have built the best possible civilization, but we have no time to enjoy it.  We live in constant anticipation of the future, regret and guilt over the past:  we can hardly wait for the weekend, for summer vacation, for the kids to be grown up, for retirement.  We might as well say, “I can hardly wait to die.”  (Simpler Living Compassionate Life; Michael Schut, ed. [p. 38, 39]).

I can hardly wait to die?!  At first the whole idea seemed harsh, if not cruel.  But the more I thought about it . . . well . . . it began to make sense.  Far too many too many of us do rush through our days so overwhelmed we never get around to enjoying ourselves and the world around us.  Oh, we intend to.  We want to.  We’re going to . . . as soon as life, with all its problems and demands, stops getting in the way.  Now think about it!  When is the only time that is going to happen?  We might as well say, I can hardly wait to die.

Friends, when did time become our enemy?  When did we start fighting against it?  Who taught us we could bargain with it?  I guess it really doesn’t matter because nothing we’ve tried has really helped.  Most of us are still running hard just trying to catch up with ourselves.

But, Christians, all this hurrying and worrying is not the way God intended. I know, says the author of Ecclesiastes, that there is nothing better for humans than to be happy and do good while they live (Eccl. 3:12).  Do you hear it?  Do you understand it? God wants us to be happy and content right now and right now.  But how do we do it?  How do we get to that place where we don’t always feel so hassled?  Staying up later and getting up earlier isn’t helping.  Neither is driving down the highway faster than a speeding bullet while talking on our blue-rays and texting on our blackberries. 

While we know all this stress and worry is taking a toll on our health and on the well-being of our families, many of us find ourselves at a loss as to how to cut back and slow down.   After all, most of what we find ourselves doing is either necessary (i.e. work, school, and doctors appointments) or good (i.e. volunteering, attending civic activities, or helping family and friends when they need an extra hand or two).  That is what’s so frustrating.  If our choices were between good and bad, we would know exactly what to do and how!  But most of the choices we have to make are between good and equally as good.  So, despite God’s intent for our lives, the reality is most of us over-committed, over-burdened and over-stressed. 

What makes the whole situation worse is we have no idea how to slow down, much less slow down!  What do we let go?  Who do we disappoint?  Besides, if we refuse to do it, who will?! 

Well, Christians, the problem is we have lost our focus.  We are so busy running, we’ve forgotten where we’re going.  And if we don’t know where we are going, we don’t know how to get there.  So, we keep trying everything while trying to please everyone.  The problem is, it isn’t working.  So, sooner or later, we have to focus.  We have to decide how to best use our time to accomplish our God-given goals.

That is exactly what Mary did in today’s Gospel lesson.  Despite all the sermons and sick jokes we have heard about this story, Mary was not the lazy, overly pampered baby and Martha was not the compulsive, nagging older sister.  They were both hard workers and, obviously, very successful.  Between them they did more than most women even dared to dream of.

But Mary differed from Martha in one respect.  She was confident enough in herself so as not to allow the outside world to influence her choices.  Ancient tradition demanded that when company came a woman was to make certain the accommodations were spotless and the food spectacular.  Mary, however, chose to believe the house was clean enough and the food was good enough to allow her the enjoyment and privilege of being alone with Jesus.

Martha, on the other hand, couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t make that choice even when it meant passing up being with the Lord.  She was too busy to sit down.  She didn’t have time.  And, yes, she became angry at Mary for thinking and doing otherwise.

Poor Martha!  Poor us!  Like her, we tend to be the “responsible” ones who assume more and more responsibilities even though God’s own Son has given us permission to choose otherwise.  And because we are overworked – because we are so overscheduled - we defensive, and maybe even angry, at those who insist we can live otherwise. 

Friends, I’m not going to deny that most of sitting here today feel overwhelmed.  But our busyness is not due to a lack of time.  It is because of our attitude towards time.  Like Martha, we can choose to believe that we need to hurry if we are going to get everything accomplished on time.  Or, like Mary, we can stop running and start trusting God to show us the things that are truly important for whatever season of life we may be facing.

The choice is ours.  And, yes, it really is a choice.  We have time.  All the time God gives us! 

Thanks be to God!