Daily Catholic Lectio
Tue, 6 October 2026
XXVII Week in Ordinary Time
Saint Bruno, Memorial
Gal 1:13-24; Lk 10:38-42
One Thing Necessary
Jesus is happy to receive the hospitality of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany. In their home, He teaches Martha an important lesson about what should come first in life.
Three expressions describe Martha: she is “busy with many tasks,” she becomes “distracted,” and she complains that Mary has left her alone to do the work.
Three expressions describe Mary: she “sits at the feet of Jesus,” she “listens to what Jesus says,” and she remains silent.
Jesus presents Mary as an example and tells Martha: “Only one thing is necessary.”
Let us think about social media today. We welcome Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, and many other platforms into our homes as if they were guests. Once they enter, we become busy. We feel restless. Sometimes we feel lonely. Yet at the same time, we feel as though we are always doing something.
Martha keeps moving physically from one place to another. Mary remains in one place physically, but inwardly her heart is united with Jesus.
Today, let us think about the busyness of our own life and work. The moments when we sit at the feet of God are the moments that are truly necessary.
God Himself is the portion we must choose. Food, clothing, and shelter are usually considered the basic needs of human beings. The psychologist Abraham Maslow arranged human needs in different levels: physiological needs, safety needs, the need for relationships and belonging, esteem needs, and self-actualisation.
Jesus invites us to go beyond even these needs. To sit at the feet of God and allow ourselves to be received and nourished by Him is the greater need. We often think that we must always be doing something. We measure ourselves by activity, productivity, movement, and visible results. But the Gospel reminds us that there is something deeper than doing.
Before serving Jesus, we must remain with Jesus. Before speaking about Him, we must listen to Him. Before offering something to Him, we must allow Him to give Himself to us. Mary chooses this better part.
Today we also remember Saint Bruno. He is honoured as one of the patrons of Calabria in Italy and is the founder of the Carthusian Order. One of his students later became Pope Urban II.
When Bruno was offered the responsibility of becoming a bishop, he refused it. He became an inspiration to many through his humility, his constant desire to learn, and his life of prayer.
Saint Bruno reminds us of the same truth we hear in today’s Gospel: a life of silence, prayer, learning, and communion with God is never an empty life.
Many things may appear necessary.
But Jesus tells us today: “One thing is necessary.” Let us choose that better part.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
A Yesni Prays Initiative
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