Last summer, I tried to put together a basketball hoop in my backyard. The clerk at the sporting goods store told me it would take about two hours to assemble. It took me about 12 hours.

In fact, I had to disassemble large portions of the apparatus twice because, in my haste, I had used the wrong parts early in the project simply because they fit the portion I was trying to build. Later I found those parts were required for another portion of the project, and had to undo my work to retrieve them.

I tend to be much better at doing than I am at listening. In the case of my backyard project, I wasn't patient enough to "listen" (i.e., read) the assembly instructions. I was in too great a hurry to complete the project.

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus visits the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha is consumed with making the visit a positive hospitality experience - cleaning, cooking, serving - while Mary simply sits and listens to Jesus. When Martha expresses frustration that her sister isn't helping much, Jesus responds, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part."

Sometimes it is better to listen first, and to act later. When I am worried and anxious, I typically act more like Martha than Mary. I try and get things done, solve the problem according to my own anxiety. I might ask myself, "What should I do?", but I rarely ask what might be a much better question, "What might God be trying to tell me?"

Martha listens to her anxiety and tries to force a solution that appeases her anxiety - get Mary to help, too. Mary sits still and listens. Perhaps God has a better solution.

Sitting. Listening. Waiting. These are not comfortable postures for many of us. We want to act - especially when we are worried about ourselves, our family or our friends. So we often hurry through our lives, trying to please everyone and to erase any difficulties that might make us uncomfortable. But we need to take time to listen. Listen for guidance. Listen for a better way.

The good news of today's Gospel is that Jesus wants to speak to us. He wants us to listen. He commends Mary for choosing to set aside her anxiety, to stop worrying, and to consider his words. He encourages Martha to do the same.

Patanjali, an Indian doctor and grammarian living 200 years before Christ, said, "Sorrow which is yet to come is to be discarded." In other words, don't worry about the future because you can't do anything about it.

Typically we worry about things we cannot control - relationships, jobs, children, parents, money. All this worrying about the future merely robs us of joy in the present. I know this because I do it all the time.

Jesus suggests that we act on what we can control - ourselves - and spend more time listening to him in prayer, or by reflecting on the Scriptures, or by participating in the sacraments and rituals of the church. We just might find that we experience a peace that calms our fears, and direction that prevents us from costly, frustrating decisions.

In the end, Jesus says, there is need of only one thing. To listen to God.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.