Dream Snatchers (Habits)

Dream Snatchers (Habits)

We are all creatures of habit.  We as Christians have lots of habits.  Weekly attendance at Church, praying regularly and being involved in doing good in the communities we come from.  Today in the gospel we encounter Martha who is in the habit of being busy, all the time. Instead of discerning, that being busy as a habit is not a bad thing but one has to be aware when to be still. Mary her sister had figured out when to be still.  Martha felt agitated by Mary’s choice.  Jesus Christ throughout scripture is constantly questioning people’s habits especially that of the religious people or those that go to Church. Last week, Jesus taught the parable of the Good Samaritan and because habits the priest and the Levite could not respond to the man was injured. For it would interfere with the religious habits or practices.  Those habits of the priest ad Levite made them fail when they was a need.  Habits mad them blind to human needs.  When our habits become central then the gifts we are given by God are not going to be used, then these habits become Dream Snatchers.  Good habits should be encouraged but these must not take away the possibilities of encountering our Lord Jesus Christ.  Habits should not dedicate to us.  Martha’s habits of being a good host are not leading anyone astray, but these were taking centre stage instead of only Christ to take centre stage. Martha is present in many of us. It could be that we love work at the expense of family time and spousal time. Hence tensions are in the home, because the other spouse is doing something he or she loves; but at the expense of relationships in the family and the expense of marriage time.  We should always balance our habits with the realities that we come across in the community called family. When last did you spend time as a family? When last did you take your spouse for a drive? When last did spend time with you children? Often good habits will turn to be bad habits. Being a workaholic my seem to be a good thing for the bosses at work, but think of the consequence that come with that habit. The love of sport, being out door is a good habit, which has to be balanced with other good habits, like family time; there is no substitute to investing in family time. If we do not balance these good habits then they become dream snatchers. Your marriage could be at risk, your relationship with you children could be at risk, and even your relationship with God could be at risk as Martha found out.  Many people take coming to church for granted, by missing church on many occasions but fail to understand that it is a duty and obligation to be in church for this gives Glory to God. When we come to Church it is a good habit for we observing the instruction to keep the Sabbath Holy.  Good habits can easily become bad habits, if habits encroach on other responsibilities, then the Dreams we are building can literal became snatched. So this coming week spend time with you Children, take you wife out for a meal, go for a drive together, attend a sport day for your children, call your brother or sister, attend church on regular basis  for it is a good habit that God Blesses.

Mary’s habit of listening to Jesus was good way of checking her habits and giving herself time to listen to our Lord Jesus Christ for new directions and for new and rewarding habits, like attending Alpha every Wednesday it is a new habit for a season, an opportunity to bring the whole family along to connect, to be revived and to listen to Jesus, who is saying to us, listen afresh and get new habits. Get a new perspective on your faith.  Habits that do not allow us to encounter God and to enjoy our first community called family are habits we should gladly give up.  Remember good habits can become bad habits which in turn become dream snatchers.

Amen