From the Gospel of Luke    37 

Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38 42) 

     And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened 

to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went 

to him and said, `Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve 

alone? Tell her then to help me.'   (Luke 10:39 40). 

    Martha represents Christians who serve God in the active life, through 

deeds of service to others. Mary represents Christians who serve God in the 

contemplative life, through prayer and sacrifice. Jesus said,   `Mary has 

chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.'   (Luke 

10:42). 

    This conflict between Martha and Mary foreshadows future conflict in the 

Church between those in the active life and those in the contemplative life. 

During a period of time when there is much work to be done in the active 

life, some Christians will want those in the contemplative life to join them in 

the work to be done. But God will not allow the contemplative life to be left 

behind, even at those times in the future when there is an extraordinary 

amount of work to be done in the active life. There will always be some 

nuns and monks and priests and laypersons in the Church who serve God in 

the contemplative life. 

The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11 32) 

     And he said, `There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of 

them said to his father,  Father, give me the share of property that falls to 

me.  And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the 

younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and 

there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent 

everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in 

want.'   (Luke 15:11 14). 

    Many passages in Holy Scripture have more than one true meaning 

intended by God. One meaning of this story is about the return of the 

Protestant Churches to unity of faith and leadership with the Catholic 

Church. 

    The younger son represents the Protestant Christians and the elder son 

represents the Catholic Christians. The father in this story represents God. 

The Protestant Churches are younger than the Catholic Church; both are 

sons of God. The younger son leaves the family, taking his inheritance with 

him, and lives loosely. Protestant Churches allow their members many 

things which the Catholic Church understands to be sinful. Protestants have 

taken their inheritance, the teachings of Jesus Christ, but have squandered it 

by not following the teachings fully.