examination of the heart 412 distracted by many external occupations. It pleases God very much to remain with the anxious Martha or other very busy people, and He rejoices that their hearts, troubled with so many things, do not lack a dwelling place for Him. 3. “Received [H]im into her house” (Lk 10:38). And you, my soul, although you are distracted by many worries and you are not seriously devoted to holy contemplation, do not be afraid to invite Jesus to yourself and to receive Him. He loves equally the contemplatives and those who lead an active life if both honor Him with equal effort through their service and offices. He endows the souls devoted to constant prayers and those serving their neighbors with the same reward of beatitude. He blesses with the same reward of His vision both the hermits given to contemplation, and the husbandmen active in his vineyard. If, therefore, you do not have a small bunch of the myrrh of love, if you do not have the precious ointments of prayer, if you do not have tears to wash his feet together with Magdalene, then offer to Him with Martha your domestic works and the attention which you devote to your neighbor’s salvation. If you lack even this ability, He would be satisfied with your good will. After Holy Communion 1. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious, and are troubled about many things” (Lk 10:41). Consider that the Savior greatly commiserates with us when, due to temporal and corporeal necessities, we are compelled to neglect, or to forsake altogether the interests of the soul and the care for eternal goods. For the Eternal Wisdom knows how great are the damages that we sustain and the losses we suffer by neglecting spiritual practices. Wherefore the Master of Truth descended to you today, that you might learn from Him the method of a more recollected life and of detachment from needless occupations, and even of employing at least a part of this hour to conversation with Him. [f.132r]
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