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Amos 8: 1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City, UT
The Rev'd W. Lee Shaw
In our Gospel reading we are introduced to Mary and Martha. This is a very short piece about them. The main information we glean about them is in John's Gospel and the story of the raising of their brother, Lazarus from the dead. Mary, Martha and Lazarus constitute one family we know more about than most in our New Testament readings. They are an unconventional family of siblings who are friends of Jesus.
Every spring at my seminary, CDSP, the students do a major theatrical production called "Follies." It is a time of comedy and making fun of the past year. This was to let off steam and celebrate the end of the year. In my senior year I made my solo singing "debut" in follies with "St. Paul loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so" and a revised version of "I am a modern major general" from the "Pirates of Penzanze." It is great fun to let off steam.
In my last year two male students, both British and gay did a piece on Mary and Martha. They sat on a couch in stereotypical English matronly frocks and bemoaned the fact that Lazarus was back with them: "I have already turned his bedroom in my sewing room and now he wants it back."
"What about the insurance payments and the flock of sheep we bought? Do we have to give it back? What about the sheep?"
"I suppose he is going to think he is 'special' now."
"And what about the estate taxes to Rome? I doubt if that rabbi will help us with that one."
It went on for some time along those lines as only siblings can talk about one another. It was all great fun and it pointed out some of the possibilities outside of Scripture for this unconventional family in Bethany: Mary, Martha and Lazarus, whose feast day is July 29. Today we have the Scriptural account of the classic confrontation between Mary and Martha with Jesus in the middle.
As I read this I see Martha as the eldest child. She may have raised her siblings. She is clearly in charge; it is her home. Interestingly Lazarus is not present in Luke's story. I see him as the middle child and Mary the youngest, enthralled by this young, charismatic rabbi.
Jesus continues in his pattern of breaking customs and taboos. He is a single man in the home of women with no male family member present. Mary sits at his feet, a sign of being taught, and by a strange man in her home. This is not the role of women.
It is clear in Luke and in John's Gospel that Jesus is deeply connected to this family of siblings in Bethany. It is one of the areas in Scripture where we see his humanity coming to the front in friendship and love for these three people.
I feel Martha often is too much maligned in this passage. Too many times it is seen that Mary has chosen the better part and not Martha. I don't see it that way. Martha is distracted and unfocused. She is more concerned with chores than with hospitality. Mary is more concerned with hearing than with helping. Both sisters have forgotten basic traits of hospitality.
I hear Jesus' voice soft and reassuring, "Martha, Martha...." It is not a rebuke but an invitation. I really see Martha saying, OK, let's take a break and sitting down with them. In my mind I see all of them getting up to finish preparations for dinner.
For me this story is not about two sisters, quarreling sisters, as it is about me and about you. There is a Mary and a Martha in each of us. I know there are times when I have people over I get too obsessed with the meal and preparations to truly host my guests. And there have been other times when the meal was a bit overly done because I was too lax in preparations. It is about making choices and having priorities. There is a Mary and Martha in each of us and we need to keep them in balance and complimentary to each other. But it is not just about entertaining, it is about being present with people and still creating time for self.
It is St. Benedict who did this best in his monastic rule holding up work and prayer as both necessary and obligatory for the monastic. Each is valued and each has their place, in balance. We all have much to learn from St. Benedict.
In John's Gospel it is Martha who after confronting Jesus about the death of Lazarus proclaims: "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world," (John 11:27). Martha has the faith of a woman who knows her Lord, as does Mary. But it is Martha who gives the confession of faith, not Mary at this time of crises in the family.
Martha has chosen the better part. She made that choice. Jesus just helped her in her decision making. We should all be so lucky to have such help.