Two Lives

Quae etiam sedens secus pedes Domini, audiebat verbum illius. Martha autem satagebat circa frequens ministerium. Haec utrique vitae congruere, nemo qui dubitet. Et contemplativae quidem uniformis perfectio est, exutam mentem in cunctis habere terrenis, eamque quantum humana imbecillitas sinit, unire cum Christo. Activae vero, quam frequens sit ministerium, gentium Magister edocet, qui celeberrimis Epistolarum dictis suos pro Christo terra marique labores, sua pericula commemorat. In quibus etiam visiones et revelationes Domini commendans, non minus se in speculativa virtute, quod perpaucis est imitabile, consummatum fuisse significat. Unde dicit: Sive enim mentem excedimus Deo, sive sobrii sumus vobis. Sanctus Beda, In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, Liber III, Caput X Source: Migne PL 92.471b

And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. 1 That both lives are fitting no one doubts. And there is a certain uniform perfection of the contemplative which cuts the mind off from all worldly things, as much as human weakness will allow, to unite it with Christ. The active life, however, is busy with its service, which the teacher of the Gentiles instructs in very many places in his letters, where he recalls his perilous labours on land and sea for Christ, in which he also commends visions and revelations of the Lord, he who was not deprived of the speculative virtue, which being imitated by hardly anyone, signifies his perfection. Hence he said, 'For whether we are transported in the mind for God, or whether we are sober for you.' 2 Saint Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Book 3, Chapter 10 1 Lk 10.39-40 2 2 Cor 5.18