July 17, 2022 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost
Over the past few weeks we have been following Jesus through the 10th chapter of Luke. Two weeks ago, we heard the first story from this chapter where Jesus sent out the seventy. In this story Jesus told his disciples what to expect as they went out, two by two, into the world proclaiming the Good News of Christ. Jesus gave them very specific instructions about their mission, but he also warned them that they would not always be greeted warmly on their journey. This story serves as a reminder and a challenge for us to examine our own mission in the world and the impact that we can have through the varied calls on our hearts to serve. We were also challenged to think of ministry not as something that is solely in the future but also in the present.
We then continued on our jaunt through the 10th chapter of Luke last week when we heard one of the most famous stories of the gospels, the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this story Jesus not only gives us am example of the greatest commandment, but we also get a glimpse of the radical hospitality that we are called to embody as followers of Jesus. Through this parable we are called to see that our neighbors are not just those whom we choose to be in community with, but also those who find themselves on the margins of society.
Today we close out this chapter with yet another familiar story, that of Martha and Mary. Each of the three stories that comprise this chapter offer us a wealth of things to think about. When considering these stories together, the theme that stands out is that of hospitality. In the sending out of the seventy, the disciples are given instructions about how to respond to the hospitality that is shown to them by their generous hosts, but also warned that it is not always the case. In the Good Samaritan parable, Jesus instructs those gathered that our hospitality must be radically inclusive and that no one is beyond the reach of the love of God. This theme of hospitality is again continued today in the story of Martha and Mary. As Martha was busying herself in all of the preparations to host their friend and guest, her focus on the details drew her away from perhaps the most hospitable act she could have offered her honored guest, her complete and undivided attention.
In this story we have two very different perspectives as to what should be done, different perspectives on where their focus should be in that moment. We have two perspectives of hospitality. While neither perspective is better than the other, because there needs to be balance between the work that needs to be done and the stillness of sitting at the master’s feet. But in this moment, under these specific circumstances, Jesus praises Mary for her presence because that was needed most.
So, how many of us relate to Martha? Each of us can relate to the frantic, hurried, and stressful experience that the story reveals to us. Many of us might be experiencing a Martha moment right now. How many of us are feeling thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread? How many of us are feeling worn down, desperately grasping for the slow moments of our day just so we can get caught up, only to find ourselves behind again? I know that I have been there far too often. It is all too easy to live in that frenetic place, always looking forward to what is coming down the road and not living in the moment.
I don’t have to look far to see an example of this; I only have to turn a reflective gaze upon my own life. There are days when I wish I had just a few more hours to get done everything that I need to get done. There are the family members that I try to keep in contact with, of which a time difference only adds to the difficulty. Or the boxes that need to be unpacked. Or the endless paperwork that needs to be filled out to do basic things, like getting a debit card or even a SIN number. Or still settling in and getting to know people, while simultaneously planning for the fall when we resume our normal rhythm of life and prayer here at All Saints. When will I get this done? When will life slow down? When will it be Stevie’s rest time? When, when, when?
There are so many things that require my attention, so many unanswered questions that sometimes I feel overwhelmed. Upon this simple reflection I can see that more often than not I am looking to the future, sectioning my time now just so that I can keep those plates spinning. It is not easy, and surely those plates will fall from time to time reminding me, and indeed all of us, that we can only stretch so far, take on so many things, before things start crashing around us from our own neglect.
It is from this all too human place of distraction and worry that Martha lashes out against her sister Mary to Jesus. She is imploring Jesus to see her side of the story. “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” If we examine the language and imagine the tone of voice Martha would have used we can see that she is not focused on her guest at all, but focused on herself. The use of “me” language points to where her focus is in that moment. Martha is hoping Jesus will side with her and tell her “lazy” sister to get up off the ground and help with the preparations. If we stand in Martha’s shoes for a moment, I think that we can all identify with this desire for help. We have all been in situations where we were diligently working on something and another person who is supposed to be helping is sitting idly by, doing little if anything at all.
It is frustrating. It is stressful. It is hurtful because something that should be done is not getting done. Just like Martha when we find ourselves in these situations, we are not focused on the work that needs to be done but focused on ourselves. In our story, Martha’s conception of hospitality that is to be shown to guests and visitors is not being fully realized. The house is not clean. The food is not ready. From her perspective she is the only one doing what should be done to extend hospitality to Jesus.
But, there is another side to this story, Mary’s perspective. We can only surmise from these five verses the motivation for Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet instead of helping her sister. Regardless of her intentions, her actions highlight the kind of hospitality that Jesus expected in that moment. Mary was eager to be a disciple, spellbound by the words of Jesus. Mary knew that Jesus' words were the most important needs of her life. There will be plenty of other opportunities for the sisters to warmly welcome guests and visitors. But in that moment, in the presence of Jesus whose time with them is limited, their complete attention was to be focused on Jesus. In that moment their only concern should be listening to words of Christ, the words of eternal life.
Mary’s perspective of hospitality is indeed different than Martha’s and yet it highlights the role that the word of God plays in our lives and in our community. When we position ourselves at Christ’s feet, reading scripture together and digging into its meaning, listening to the thoughts and opinions of others, wrestling with the meaning of the texts in our current context, we will find that even the day to day details of our lives will resound with the Good News. We will see that there are many more places and situations to live out our call to discipleship and the burdens of our daily lives will not seem so heavy. An active life of ministry that bears witness to the wider world is great, but it is meaningless if we do not have the foundation of faith rooted in the Word.
As we build the foundation for the hospitality that each and every one of us will embody through our call to seek and serve Christ in all people, now is the time to be like Mary. Now is the time to set aside the distractions. Now is the time to make the most of this opportunity of worshiping together, breaking bread together, and living in community together. We must set our sight on the present, live in the moment, being present to each other in the now. That doesn't necessarily mean going out and being a part of as many groups and ministries as possible in the church because that will only put us back into that Martha mentality. We have plenty of time to be like Martha in our daily lives, running from commitment to commitment, engaging in one passion project after another, and many other things that arise that consume our time, our energy, and our focus.
The desire and need for our presence will not cease, which is why we need to build that strong foundation. A foundation founded upon prayer, worship, community, and love. A foundation that we can rely upon during our Martha days. A foundation that we can return to, to center us and rejuvenate us so that we can be the best Christians we can be as we seek to minister to the world. Life goes by very quickly which means it is even more important for us to not lose sight of the totality of our formation. That is why we have to be like Mary, to be attentive to the knowledge and experiences that being a part of this community has to offer us to grow into the fullness of our Christian life. God has given us this time, how will you use it? Will you be like Martha; frantically running around only focused on the particulars and with both eyes fixed on the future? Or will you be like Mary; kneeling at the feet of the Christ we see in everyone around us, focused on the here and now? God has given us this time, how will you use it?
