Faith & Works
My guess is that the story of Mary and Martha is familiar to you.
And…if it is familiar to you, I suspect you might have an opinion about it. You might feel some kind of way about the story or the way it has been interpreted.
Perhaps you have been encouraged to consider whether you are a “Martha” or a “Mary.”
We would have to draw a lot of information from 113 words in Luke’s gospel, I think, to categorize ourselves as one or the other. It seems like a stretch to do that. It’s such a very short introduction to the two women.
But maybe we’re not supposed to draw many conclusions from only those 113 words.
After having written this reflection over the past two days, I woke up this morning hearing someone in my past intone, “but Jesus said…”
Jesus said a lot of things. And we have to hold them all together.
When it comes to this story about Martha and Mary, I think we learn more by reading more.
Luke’s gospel includes intentional pairings of stories – for example, telling one story using male characters and a related story using female characters. Think about the angel appearing to Mary who was a young woman and also appearing to Zechariah who was an old man. Think about the Centurion asking for healing for his servant followed by Jesus healing the widow’s son without her asking. These pairings give hearers an opportunity to make comparisons and to fine-tune conclusions or lessons that are intended. These pairings make Jesus’ teaching and action more nuanced and contextual.
Today’s story about Mary and Martha comes right after the story we heard last week about the lawyer quizzing Jesus and the parable of the Good Samaritan. In the parable, listeners are encouraged to consider how they respond to a person in need, regardless of who that person is.
In today’s story about Martha and Mary, Martha seems to be doing the good work of serving Jesus (arguably her “neighbor”). In response to Martha’s complaint that she’s doing this work without her sister Mary, Jesus suggests that Mary, who has been listening to his teaching – not busying herself with hospitality, is doing the “better part.”
Ouch. Really, Jesus?
If we step back and hold the two stories together, we might slow down and dig deeper. Might there be nuances revealed in these pairings that keep us from “all or nothing/black or white” thinking?
Holding the Good Samaritan and Mary and Martha together, we might arrive at the conclusion that context matters. Sometimes we have to act. And sometimes we have to put ourselves in the position of learning and listening. Maybe we actually have to do both in different measure at different times.
And the rules about when to do what probably aren’t so simple.
There is also value in digging deeply into what is happening as Martha serves Jesus.
She’s not just being the hostess with the most-ess. In our Biblio drama – there was a reference to Martha’s work as ministry. Did you hear that?
In verse 40, where it reads “Martha was distracted by her many tasks,” the word translated “tasks” in the Greek is diakonian – a word that is translated elsewhere in scripture as “ministry” or “mission” or “service.” From its usage in scripture, that Greek word has come to be used to describe the servant ministry of all Christians.
Our United Methodist book of discipline says this,
“The New Testament witness to Jesus Christ makes clear that the primary form of his ministry in God’s name is that of service, diakonia, in the world. Very early in its history, the church came to understand that all of its members were commissioned in baptism to ministries of love, justice, and service within local congregations and the larger communities in which they lived; all who follow Jesus have a share in the ministry of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve.” (¶305)
Martha is busy with the work of ministry. Her tasks are diakonian.
And let’s also roll back further in Luke’s gospel to recall what God’s voice intoned on that hillside at the transfiguration – this is my beloved, listen to him…
So in this particular context, Jesus suggests that Mary’s faithful listening might be the more important task right now.
Beloved, this can be a tough text – because for some of us, it is really difficult to be told someone else has made a better choice. We might hear that as someone being better than us!
Maybe for all of us that is true. It is hard to hear that Mary has chosen “the better part.”
But I also believe that stepping back and looking at the two stories together – seeing the good Samaritan care for the injured man while others hurried by and then seeing Martha offering hospitality while Mary listens to Jesus, we might be able to see that the answer is contextual. Even within the story of Martha and Mary alone, perhaps there is a message about needing to balance our action with our faith and devotion.
Balance is important, right? We hear that all the time.
Might we trust that the work of listening to Jesus helps us discern, moment by moment what is required? And when we do that work of listening, when we are practiced at listening, we might be better able to act – to serve in the world as needed and called.
I need to hear that right now.
Over and over again.
My actions have to be deeply rooted in listening for what God is speaking into the moment. And my actions are needed and necessary.
Finding balance is hard.
Maybe it is work we do together.
Thank God for grace at every turn.
May it be so.
Amen.
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