From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop

(Sermo 103, 1-2, 6: PL 38, 613, 615)

Our
Lord’s words teach us that though we labor among the many distractions 
of this world, we should have but one goal. For we are but travellers on
a journey without as yet a fixed abode; we are on our way, not yet in 
our native land; we are in a state of longing, not yet of enjoyment. But
let us continue on our way, and continue without sloth or respite, so 
that we may ultimately arrive at our destination.

Martha and Mary
were sisters, related not only by blood but also by religious 
aspirations. They stayed close to our Lord and both served him 
harmoniously when he was among them. Martha welcomed him as travellers 
are welcomed. But in her case, the maidservant received her Lord, the 
invalid her Savior, the creature her Creator, to serve him bodily food 
while she was to be fed by the Spirit. For the Lord willed to put on the
form of a slave, and under this form to be fed by his own servants, out
of condescension and not out of need. For this was indeed 
condescension, to present himself to be fed; since he was in the flesh 
he would indeed be hungry and thirsty.

Thus was the Lord received as a guest whocame unto his own and his own received him not; but as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God,
adopting those who were servants and making them his brothers, 
ransoming the captives and making them his co-heirs. No one of you 
should say: “Blessed are they who have deserved to receive Christ into 
their homes!” Do not grieve or complain that you were born in a time 
when you can no longer see God in the flesh. He did not in fact take 
this privilege from you. As he says: Whatever you have done to the least of my brothers, you did to me.

But
you, Martha, if I may say so, are blessed for your good service, and 
for your labors you seek the reward of peace. Now you are much occupied 
in nourishing the body, admittedly a holy one. But when you come to the 
heavenly homeland will you find a traveller to welcome, someone hungry 
to feed, or thirsty to whom you may give drink, someone ill whom you 
could visit, or quarrelling whom you could reconcile, or dead whom you 
could bury?

No, there will be none of these tasks there. What you
will find there is what Mary chose. There we shall not feed others, we 
ourselves shall be fed. Thus what Mary chose in this life will be 
realized there in all its fullness; she was gathering fragments from 
that rich banquet, the Word of God. Do you wish to know what we will 
have there? The Lord himself tells us when he says of his servants, Amen, I say to you, he will make them recline and passing he will serve them.