St Luke tells us that Jesus "resolutely set out for Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51) to fulfil the Father's will, along the way He encounters different people, teaches them, and shapes their understanding of discipleship.

One of the most revealing encounters is with Martha and Mary. Sandwiched between the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Lord's Prayer, this encounter invites us to be like Mary-to sit at Jesus' feet, listening deeply, letting His words shape our actions.

The young lawyer in the Good Samaritan story thought he knew holiness - strictly following the Law. But Jesus challenges him that true holiness is not about self-justification, but about loving without limits. Similarly, Martha, busy with hospitality, learns that service must flow from love, not just duty.

And when it comes to prayer, Jesus shifts the focus. Unlike John the Baptist's disciples, who prayed for repentance, Jesus teaches us to call God Abba-Father who listens, provides, and encourages us to pray with trusting persistence.

In Jonah, we heard he forgets his role – he is God's messenger, not the message's interpreter or enforcer. He must learn to sit humbly before God, just as we must.

Today, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, imbibe Mother Mary's example: to ponder Christ's words in our hearts, to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. This is how we face our own battles of ‘Lepanto' - personal and communal.