After 49 years as a priest, I’m rarely surprised by a liturgical change or a change in the designation of saints in the ordo. The ordo is the Church’s liturgical calendar, designating the readings, prayers and the saints we honor for each Mass throughout the year.

I was recently surprised — and in a good way.

In mid-July, our Sunday Gospel was the wonderful passage about Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). This has long been one of my favorite readings. Mary sits at Jesus’s feet and listens to him, while Martha is “burdened with much serving.” Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part, and that it will not be taken from her.

To be honest, I have always felt a stronger connection with Martha. I am without question more of a Martha than a Mary. I think that is true for many of us who work hard, have a tendency toward a Type A personality and like to see things get done. In fact, based on one very unscientific survey I did, I think we are more a Church of Marthas.

When I was at Our Lady of Mercy Parish years ago, we held one Sunday Mass each week in the school gym to accommodate the number of people. I put some of the extra space in the gym to use in my homily one Sunday when we read the story of Mary and Martha.

I pointed to my right and asked everyone who was a complete Martha to head over by the stage. I then pointed to my left and asked those who were a complete Mary to assemble there under the basketball hoop. Anyone who felt they were a combination of both could pick a spot in between, depending on how much of each they saw in themselves.

I watched as everybody went to their places. When all the movement was finished, 80 percent of the people were on the Martha side. I said that if the gym were a boat, we would have sunk because of the imbalance. It was clear that we were mostly Marthas, a parish of doers, activity and service.

We were heavy on work and effort, but maybe not as good as we should have been on quiet meditation. And yet, the Lord clearly says that the one who stops and listens at his feet has chosen the better portion.

I have preached a lot on this topic, and I have also worked hard on becoming more prayerful while also serving and fulfilling my obligations. I firmly believe that my work becomes prayer. Much of my day is filled with ministry, which to me is a form of praying – prayer in action. But I must admit that I don’t think I do enough quiet meditation sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening.

As a priest, I celebrate the Eucharist every day, pray the breviary, lead others in prayer, and more. Even so, I can do better with simple, reflective time with the Lord. It is not easy. That kind of time and effort can get put aside all too quickly when the phone rings, when I need to visit someone at the hospital, when I have a task to complete before tomorrow’s deadline, or when I am just trying to keep up with responsibilities and things that need to be done.

These were my thoughts and reflections in mid-July when the Sunday Gospel was the story of Martha and Mary. Less than two weeks later, on Friday, July 29, I was shocked to see that the memorial of Saint Martha had been changed to the memorial of Saints Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

I like the idea of recognizing all three followers of Jesus who as siblings give us another holy family in scripture, but who as individuals present different personalities and gifts. We have the more contemplative Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus. We have the active Martha, who busily served. And we have Lazarus, who died and was brought back to life four days later by his friend Jesus. I would suggest that this is the second greatest miracle in all of scripture, next to the Resurrection itself.

It is interesting that no words are recorded in scripture from either Mary or Lazarus. Ironically, Martha the doer is the one who speaks beautifully about her belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the Resurrection (John 11). Still, you have to think that Lazarus was one of the best evangelists the Lord ever had after he was raised from the dead. (Tradition holds that he became a bishop.) And Mary, after absorbing so much of what the Lord had to say, surely had a depth of spirit and understanding that allowed her to speak eloquently for the Lord.

Where do you see yourself in these three friends of Jesus?

Are you a worker bee? Go for it! We need workers. Just try to make time to listen to Jesus and quietly reflect upon the Lord’s word.

Are you a person who sits at Jesus’s feet? Go for it! We need more reflection and contemplation in our busy world. Just try to build on your time with the Lord by serving others and taking care of those in need.

Are you a friend to Jesus like Lazarus? That friendship brought him new life, and perhaps it has you as well on some level. Just try to use those gifts to preach and teach the good news of the Gospel.

I think the ideal disciple, the one who is closest to Jesus, is a combination of all three – someone who has found a way to bring into balance the great gifts of holiness in Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

That balance will be different for all of us. We were created with different personalities, gifts, skills and charisms. We shouldn’t beat ourselves up if we are better in some areas and more challenged in others. All three pathways to holiness are important and should be cultivated.

May we strive to absorb every word of the Lord like Mary, serve like Martha, and evangelize the good news of salvation like Lazarus, and may the gifts of all three shine forth in our daily living.

Msgr. Enzler is the president and CEO of Catholic Charities of The   Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.