Jesus visits Mary and Martha – In Luke’s gospel, stories of hospitality are important as they reflect the Kingdom of God, where God welcomes his people.
Jesus goes to see his friends Mary and Martha. Martha welcomes him into her home, busy, preparing food, making sure the place is clean, essential parts of the vital custom of hospitality.
Meanwhile, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, a phrase that implies being a disciple, listening intently to his teaching, a woman shirking hospitality, entering the male domain of religious discussion, it’s unconventional, maybe scandalous.
Martha, feeling overwhelmed and resentful, asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her;
Jesus responds:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Perhaps there are two takes on this:
Mary listening to Jesus was more important than doing the household tasks, a reminder to listen to God as a priority. The reformer Martin Luther: is reputed to have said “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer”, the busier he was the more he needed to seek God.
- Mary and Martha were both undertaking valuable but different works, Mary’s devotion honoured by Jesus, but Martha’s was a work of hospitality, perhaps Jesus was not addressing Martha’s work, but her attitude, to serve graciously not resentfully.
One scene maybe many lessons;
Listen to God, serve graciously, respect other’s different service.
Ricky Beswick
Lay Preacher