Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This passage comes immediately after the Parable of Good Samaritan. I think the two texts balance each other.

But to the passage before us. Jesus came to Bethany (the passage does not say that, but we know from other gospels that Mary and Martha lived in Bethany) and Martha, the perfect hostess, invited Jesus to their house. Martha is rushing around getting things ready for the meal and for the other things involved in hosting an honoured guest like Jesus.  But Mary spends her time listening to Jesus’ teaching.

Finally, Martha has had enough and demands that Jesus tell Mary to help her, because Mary has left Martha with all the work, and that is not fair.     

Jesus, much to Martha’s surprise, takes Mary’s side, saying Mary has chosen the better way. The way of being focussed on one thing – learning from and following Jesus (think about yesterday’s comments on Luke 10:21). Everything else is distraction, Jesus says. We, the followers of Jesus, are invited to center ourselves on Jesus and his teaching, to listen for his guiding, to live deeply into his teaching. To find our roots in him. 

But there are also questions that arise with Jesus’ comments. Does that mean there is no place for service and hospitality and care? And here the reminder that this passage comes immediately after the parable of the Good Samaritan is helpful. Loving neighbour – the actions of the Good Samaritan – and the actions of Martha – only finds its energy and ability to care – out of loving God – Mary’s action. To love our neighbour, to offer hospitality to others as Jesus invites us to do, is only possible if rooted in our love for God. Only when we have sat and Jesus’ feet can we then serve our neighbour.    

PRAYER:

Our lives are cluttered, Lord Jesus, by too many things and too much to do. We are driven by the need to succeed and distracted from our service. We have often lost our way. Forgive us. Let us, like Mary, find the one thing that is needed and sit at your feet. Amen.