Homily

The Church of St. Mary was in the Constantinople suburb of Blachernae and was a very important site. In the mid-10th century, the year is not certain, the All-Night Vigil was being prayed at the church on Sunday, October 1st. At one point the Fool-for-Christ, St. Andrew, lifted up his eyes and saw the Mother of God coming through the air, bathed in heavenly light and surrounded by a company of saints, with St. John the Baptist and St. John the Theologian at her side. (You can see in the icon here, or on the bulletin cover these people. In the bottom right corner is St. Andrew, dressed only in a cloak and he is talking with St. Epiphanius, his disciple) After entering the church the Holy Virgin went down on her knees and prayed for the Christian people with many tears for a long time. Then she approached the Bishop’s throne and continued to pray.

When she was finished praying she took her veil and spread it over the people praying in church, protecting them from enemies both visible and invisible. The Most Holy Lady Theotokos was shining with heavenly glory, and the protecting veil in her hands gleamed “more brightly than the rays of the sun.” Saint Andrew gazed trembling at the miraculous vision and he asked his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius standing beside him, “Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all the world?” Epiphanius answered, “I do see, holy Father, and I am in awe.”

The Ever-Blessed Mother of God implored the Lord Jesus Christ to accept the prayers of all the people calling on His Most Holy Name, and to respond quickly to her intercession, “O Heavenly King, accept all those who pray to You and call on my name for help. Do not let them go away from my icon unheard.”

Saints Andrew and Epiphanius were worthy to see the Mother of God at prayer, and “for a long time observed the Protecting Veil spread over the people and shining with flashes of glory. As long as the Most Holy Theotokos was there, the Protecting Veil was also visible, but with her departure it also became invisible. After taking it with her, she left behind the grace of her visitation.”

The city of Constantinople was in danger of attack by sea, but after this apparition the threat vanished. Last Sunday I talked about miracles. This was a miracle that has been celebrated for over 1,000 years, even here today, in praise of the Theotokos who leads us in prayer to her beloved Son.

This Gospel we heard today is used for most of the feast days of Mary throughout the year because it speaks of a truth about the Mother of God through the actions and behavior of another woman who also has the name Mary. But first we’re given a look at a woman who is not acting like Mary—her sister Martha who wants help in the kitchen. It’s not that she is helping get the meal prepared that is the problem, but rather it is her general attitude towards life. Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things.” And, if we really stop to think of it we are Martha-ish, aren’t we? Aren’t we also anxious and worried about many things very often in our lives?

The Jesus says, “Only one thing is necessary.” So what is that one thing for us that is absolutely necessary? What is the one most important thing in our lives that we cannot do without, the thing we absolutely must have, and everything else is of less importance than that one essential and vital thing? What do you say? What is it for you? If you say family, my life, health, comfort, security, work, pleasure, happiness, the love of others—if you say one of these I think you’re in trouble like Martha. And we often are in trouble like Martha because we don’t live according to the one thing that is absolutely necessary for us. Instead we keep swapping values and changing what is most important to us this week, today, or even right now. No wonder it’s easy to be anxious and troubled. We’re not always sure what we want, or what we need, or how we will get it and much like Martha we’re discouraged and tired. We forget what is most important very easily and very quickly and we allow other values to take its place, until we change those again as well. But only one thing is absolutely necessary, the same one thing that Mary the sister in today’s Gospel chose, the same one thing that the Mother of our Lord also chose, and chose all the time.

When we grab after other choices and desires that keep changing in our daily lives, without keeping that one absolute thing clearly in our minds we get off track like Martha, running around with a carving knife in one hand and a dish towel in the other, worried and afraid and irritated and not sure what to do.

What is the one thing only that is necessary? And once we focus on that, and keep reminding ourselves of that and live like that, everything else finds its proper place.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God may we recover and embrace again today the one thing necessary for us, and through her prayers may the Lord save us and all mankind.