The twenty chapitre. How Almighty God wil goodly answere for alle thoo that, for the excusing of hemself, list not leve the besines aboute the love of Hym.
The Example of Mary
Contemplatives should imitate Mary by being so occupied in spirit that they take no heed of others' complaints, trusting that our Lord will answer for them as He did for Mary.
And so it seems to me that those who commit themselves to the contemplative life should not only excuse active people for their complaining words, but also be so occupied in spirit that they pay little—or no—attention to what people do or say about them. That is what Mary did—an example for all of us—when her sister Martha complained to our Lord.1 And if we truly do the same, our Lord will do for us now what He did for Mary then.
The Lord's Answer to Martha
Our Lord answered Martha not only as a judge but as an advocate for Mary, acknowledging Martha's busyness but showing that the active life involves many necessary concerns.
And how was that? Certainly like this. Our loving Lord Jesus Christ, from whom no secret thing is hidden—though Martha appealed to Him as judge to tell Mary to get up and help her serve Him—nevertheless, because He saw that Mary was fervently occupied in spirit with the love of His Godhead, He therefore answered for her courteously, and as it was fitting for Him to do by way of reason: she who would not leave off loving Him in order to excuse herself.2 And how did He answer? Surely not only as a judge, as Martha had appealed to Him, but as an advocate He lawfully defended her who loved Him, and said: "Martha, Martha!" He said her name twice, urgently, because He wanted her to hear Him and pay attention to His words.3 "You are very busy," He said, "and troubled about many things." For those who live the active life always have to be busy and pressed about many different things—first, what they need for themselves, and then, in works of mercy toward their fellow Christians, as charity requires.
The One Thing Necessary
Jesus declares that one thing is necessary—to love and praise God above all occupations—and Mary's choice of that best part will never be taken from her, for the stirring of love begun here continues in heaven.
He told Martha this because He wanted her to know that her busyness was good and profitable for the health of her soul. But so she wouldn't think it was the best work anyone could do, He added, "But one thing is necessary."4 And what is that one thing?✦ Surely it is that God should be loved and praised for Himself, above every other activity — bodily or spiritual — that a person can do.✦5 And because Martha should not think she could both love God and praise Him above every other activity — bodily or spiritual — and also be busy at the same time with the necessities of this life, He therefore — to free her from the doubt that she could not serve God perfectly in bodily work and spiritual work together (imperfectly she can, but not perfectly) — added and said that Mary had chosen the best part, which would never be taken from her.✦ For that perfect stirring of love that begins here is one and the same as the love that will last forever in the bliss of heaven; for all is but one.6
Read the original Middle English
And therfore me thinketh that thei that set hem to be contemplatyves schuld not only have actyve men excusid of theire pleinyng wordes, bot also me thinketh that thei schuld be so ocupied in spirite that thei schuld take litel kepe, or none, what men did or seyde aboute hem. Thus did Marye, oure alther exsaumple, when Martha hir sistre pleynid to oure Lorde. And yif we wil trewli do thus, oure Lorde wil do now for us as He did than for Marie.
And how was that? Sekirly thus. Oure lovely Lorde Jhesu Crist, unto Whom no privé thing is hid, thof at He was requerid of Martha as domesman for to bid Mary rise and help hir to serve Hym, nevertheles yit, for He parceyvid that Mary was fervently ocupied in sperit aboute the love of His Godheed, therfore curtesly, and as it was semely for Him to do bi the wey of reson, He answerid for hir, that for the excusing of hirself list not leve the love of Hym. And how answerid He? Sekirly not only as domesman, as He was of Martha apelyd: bot as an advoket lawfuly defendid hir that Hym loved, and seide: "Martha, Martha!" Twies for spede He nemnid hir name; for He wolde that sche herd Him and toke hede to His wordes. "Thou arte ful besy," He seyde, "and troubled aboute many thinges." For thei that ben actyves behoven alweis to be besied and travaylid aboute many diverse thinges, the whiche hem falleth first for to have to here owne use, and sithen in dedes of mercy to theire even-Cristen, as charité asketh.
And this He seide unto Martha, for He wolde lat hir wetyn that hir besines was good and profitable to the helthe of hir soule. Bot forthi that sche schuld not think that it were the best werke of alle that man might do, therfore He echid to and seyde: "Bot o thing is nessessary."
And what is that o thing? Sekirly that God be loved and preysid by Himself, aboven alle other besines, bodily or goostly, that man may do. And forthi that Martha schuld not think that sche might bothe love God and preise Hym aboven alle other besines, bodily or goostly, and also therto to be besy aboute the nessessaries of this liif, therfore to deliver hir of doute that sche might not bothe serve God in bodely besines and goostly togedir parfitely -- inparfitely sche may, bot not parfitely -- He echid to and seyde that Mary had chosen the best partye, the whiche schuld never be taken fro hir. For whi that parfite steryng of love that byginneth here is even of noumbre with that that schal last withouten ende in the blis of heven; for al is bot one.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.10.42 — Few things are needed, or only one. For Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
- ↩Luke.10.42 — Few things are needed, or only one. For Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
- ↩Luke.10.42 — Few things are needed, or only one. For Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
Notes
- 1 ↩ME 'oure alther exsaumple' uses 'alther/aller' as the genitive plural of 'all' ('of us all'); rendered as 'the example of us all'.
- 2 ↩ME 'lovely' here means loving/beloved rather than modern 'pretty'; rendered 'loving' for contemporary sense while keeping the Cloud's affectionate epithet.
- 3 ↩'for spede' can mean for haste, effectiveness, or success; rendered as urgency—calling her twice so she would quickly take notice.
- 4 ↩ME 'echid to' means 'added further / went on to say'; Christ appends the corrective clause so Martha will not take active busyness as the highest work.
- 5 ↩ME 'by Himself' rendered as 'for Himself' (God loved and praised for His own sake / as He is in Himself), not as an agent phrase.
- 6 ↩ME 'even of noumbre with' means equal/identical in number or kind; rendered as 'one and the same as' to keep the identity claim without archaic numbering talk.
The Cloud of Unknowing companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent