THis passage has had far too many sermons on it. THere is very little to add. But I see women continuing to fuss — despite their abandoned by their spouses, as if being a domestic goddess or a competent strong woman will bring him back.
Mary understood that being around Jesus was important, and that he did not need a huge elaborate show of hospitality. Martha was doing that very thing.
My only comment is that Jesus loved both Mary and Martha. So any interpretation that implies Mary, or Martha is damned, is clearly wrong.
38Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But 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.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
We get busy. Today the paper has an entire broadsheet page containing, in fine print, the sports draws for the town. There are dance performances, orchestra rehearsals, advanced placement classes, dance lessons, the gym. (no, I do not do all of the above: my grand daughter is doing the dance, I know people who do ceroc or salsa, and the advanced placement classes are one son. I will own up to the orchestra and the gym). And then the churchians want us to be in home groups, attend two services on Sunday and one on Wednesday. And we email work home to complete during the weekend, for the weekdays run away from us.
At the same time we pretend, in our parties, to be ladies and gentlemen of leisure, who will take four hours to slow roast dinner… until we collapse.
We need to learn that time has a opportunity cost. We cannot do everything. We cannot be everyone. We have to choose at this moment what to do, and what to attend to. Martha chose to listen to Jesus — and accept the risk the table was not perfect. Martha, in that way we have from time immemorial, got busy. And got stressed.
But note that Jesus did not tell Mary to leave. We need to prioritize, and we need to not let another’s busy-ness disturb our rest. Not even if it is called “being fair” or “needing th help”.
So slow down and do nothing. Without guilt. The Busy times will return, enjoy the times of respite that exist between.
