MARTHA, MARTHA!

Lectionary passage: Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)  - 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."

Painting by Vermeer

Some identify with Martha, who had reason to be irked,                    
        when her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha worked.
She complained to him about it, asking “Lord, do you not care
        that I’m doing all the work and Mary’s not doing her share?”
“Martha, Martha,” Jesus answered, “you are worried and distraught
        about many things which in the long run only come to naught.
There is need of only one thing. Mary chose the better part.”
        Jesus had a way of looking into every person’s heart,
but some people wonder why he reprimanded her that way.
        It was not that she was working conscientiously that day,
for he would not have rebuked her for her hospitality.
        Was she busy doing unimportant things?  Apparently,
for it seems that Jesus felt she could have sat at his feet, too,
        but she chose instead to do things that she didn’t have to do.
Furthermore, she showed resentment and some sibling jealousy
        that her sister Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet, while she
chose to do what could have been postponed, instead of listening
        to the precious words her Lord and Master was delivering.
So we should not be too eager to let Martha off the hook,
        lest we fail to heed what Jesus said, according to the Book.