Theophilos

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and minsters of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilos, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." (Luke 1:1-4)

Those words, which begin the Gospel According to Luke, also act as the springboard for the imagination of Canadian author and artist, Michael D. O'Brien, for his recent novel Theophilos, a fictional account regarding the man to whom St. Luke addressed his Gospel narrative.

In the novel, which makes excellent use of the historical settings of Crete and Judea in the late first century, Theophilos is a physician and agnostic, and the uncle/stepfather of "Loukas" (St. Luke). Out of concern for Loukas, Theophilos sets out on a journey to "save" his nephew/son from the clutches of the followers of the "Christos." Along the way, Theophilos comes into contact with many individuals connected with the early Christian community and develops a new appreciation for the nascent Christian faith.

I was particularly impressed with the unique mixture of history and fiction that Mr. O'Brien used to bring so many ancient figures to life. From well-known biblical figures, such as Lazarus and the woman at the well, to secular figures, such as the Roman historian Josephus, Mr. O'Brien presents a vast array of characters, each providing a different perspective on the impact (or perceived lack thereof) of Jesus.

Interestingly, although the novel is set nearly 2,000 years ago, the struggles of Theophilos as he comes to grips with the reality of Jesus are timeless. Many of the (ultimately futile) arguments that Theophilos puts forth against Christ and his followers are the same protestations that modern men and women put forth as they struggle to justify their own inability to deal with the truth of Christ.

Simply put, the novel is magnificent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking, entertaining, moving and, ultimately, enlightening read.

Saint Martha

St. Martha was the sister of Lazarus and a good friend of Jesus. It was her feast day last Thursday (July 29th). At Mass that day, I noticed that there are two possible Gospel readings on her feast day.

The first option, which is perhaps the more well-known passage, is from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 10:38-42), and relates the story of Jesus' visit to Martha's home in Bethany. This passage contains the memorable response from Jesus to Martha after Martha came to Jesus "complaining" that her sister, Mary, was not helping to serve the guests, but rather was sitting at the feet of the Lord, listening to him speak. In response to Martha's "gripe", Jesus says:

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

To me, Jesus' response is an important reminder that, although one must be active and tend to the necessary tasks of daily life, there is also a need to simply sit at the feet of the Lord -- in prayer, at Mass, at Eucharistic Adoration -- and listen. We must find time to sit and let Jesus speak to our hearts and hang on his every word. In fact, our Lord suggests that this contemplative sort of activity is "the better part." Interesting.

* * * * *

The second passage is from the Gospel of John (Jn 11:19-27) and occurs just after Martha's brother, Lazarus, has died. Jesus has been summoned to Bethany because of the death of his friend and Martha meets him on the way. This is their conversation:

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise."

Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day."

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

This exchange between Jesus and Martha, particularly Martha's inspired insight that Jesus is the Christ, suggests that although Martha was a whirlwind of activity when we met her in Luke's Gospel, she also learned a thing or two at the feet of Jesus!

Putting these two Gospel passages together, I come up with the following conclusion: Contemplative prayer, or a contemplative life, which is represented by Martha's sister, Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet in the Gospel of Luke, is an important and perhaps even "better" way of life for a Christian. However, as we see in the passage from John's Gospel, just because one has chosen a more "active" part in life does not mean that the fruit of contemplation is wholly lost. Martha's insight that Jesus is "the Christ" suggests that she, too, has come to an understanding of the deep truths of our faith. In that regard, I think that St. Martha represents many of us who find our way to Jesus through the activities of our lives, who meet Jesus in our "doing" before we meet him in contemplation.

Either way, I think it is safe to say that Jesus wants each of us to come to know him as the Christ and whether we follow a path of action or contemplation, or perhaps a combination of both, as long as our path leads us to the truth about Jesus, it will be a path worth travelling.

Praise God!