Saints marching

In today’s readings, the saints seem to be blowing their own horns.

In the first reading, St. Paul seems to be boasting about how zealous he had been before his conversion and how independent his apostolic mandate has been since his conversion. In the Gospel, St. Martha is pointing out that she is handling all the details of hospitality.

What’s wrong with boasting? What’s wrong with being honest about one’s own excellence?

Our Lord’s gentle rebuke to Martha and Paul’s last sentence point to the answer.

Our Lord reminds Martha that “only one thing” is needed, indicating the stance of her sister Mary who is focused on Jesus and on His word.

We may work hard and we may do excellent things, but ultimately everything we have comes from God. Also, what gives ultimate meaning to everything is our relationship with God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Paul gets it right. He may have been the most zealously religious person, he may have received his apostolic commission directly and uniquely from the Lord himself, but he knows that every virtue he has and every wonder he has done is a result of God’s grace. In the end, Paul doesn’t say, “They sang my praises;” rather Paul says, “They glorified God because of me.”

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis,
sed nomini tuo da gloriam

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to your name give the glory.
Psalm 115:1