"Six days you shall work..." Exodus
20:9
A certain brother came to Abba Silvanus at Mount Sinai. Seeing him at work he protested: Why do you
work for the bread that perishes? Mary has chosen the best part, namely to sit at the feet of Yashua without working.
Then, the Abba said to his disciple Zachary: Give the brother a book and let him read, and put him inside an empty cell.
Well, at the ninth hour the brother who was reading began to look out
to see if the Abba was not going to call him to dinner. Sometime after the ninth
hour he went himself to the Abba and said: Did the brothers not eat today,
Father?
The Abba replied:
Oh, yes, certainly, they just had dinner.
Well, said the brother, why did you not call me?
The elder replied:
You are a spiritual man, for you do not need food that perishes.
We must work, but you have chosen the best part. You read all day, and can get along without food.
Hearing this the brother said: Forgive me, Father.
And the elder said: Martha
is necessary to Mary, for it was because Martha worked that Mary was able to be praised.
Beloved, how well that we should remember this. So easy to
miss the point.
~ By Abba Anthony ~
