anxious

Being anxious is something everyone experiences now and then. In the Gospel According to Luke 10:38-42 (NABRE), Jesus chastises Martha for having lots of cares or anxieties, a condition many in our world today can relate to. What exactly is it about Martha’s behavior that Jesus sees as less than ideal? What can we learn from Jesus about coping with our own anxieties?

The Greek word μεριμνάω (merimnao) means “to care for” and has both positive and negative uses throughout the Old Testament. Having cares and concerns is not in itself a bad thing. Where Martha gets in trouble is that she cares for “many things.” Being anxious about these things divides her focus and attention. Jesus asks us to put our care and focus on him, which Martha’s sister Mary does.

What cares or concerns are drawing your focus and attention? How can those things end up distracting you from Jesus? Ask Jesus to help you to be less anxious about cares and concerns over which you have little control.

you also may like our study of the book of Exodus
You Shall Have No Other Gods: The Book of Exodus, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provides an in-depth look at how significant events in biblical history that occurred thousands of years ago to descendants of Jacob remain relevant and even critical for present-day Christians to understand. The deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and the giving of Ten Commandments are examined along with the development of Moses’ relationship to God. Click here to view a sample of the first lesson.

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