Göttinger Predigten
Göttinger Predigten im Internet hg. von U. Nembach
8. Sunday after Pentecost, 07/18/2010
Sermon on Luke 10:38-42, by Erma Wolf
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. 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.' But the Lord answered her, ‘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."
"Attention Must Be Paid"
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Contemplation, or action? Which one is more pleasing to God? Jesus praises Mary for her listening attitude, her attention to his word and presence, her "choosing the better part." Martha, on the other hand, is scolded. "Martha, Martha," the Lord says, "you are worried and distracted by many things." Pretty simple. Contemplation is the better part. Contemplation wins.
Or not. Posing this as a simple contest between the two sisters ("Jesus always loved you best!") seems to strike a chord for those who know the stories of so many competitive brothers in Scripture: Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. Oh yes, we know how this story goes: two siblings, both trying to please the Lord, but only one does. Martha fits in the role of Cain, whose offering does not please; or Esau, the man of action who is outmaneuvered by the brother who likes to sit at home in the tent. Mary, on the other hand, is in the model of Abel, with the pleasing sacrifice, or of Joseph the dreamer. Sitting at the feet of Jesus, Mary's choice will not be taken from her. (So there, Martha! Go peel those leeks yourself!)
But, (and here allow me to encourage all of us to be more like Mary, at least for a moment), listen again, more carefully, to this story. Jesus nowhere condemns Martha for her hospitality. Like Abraham in the familiar story from Genesis, welcoming others in for rest and refreshment is an honorable and God-pleasing ministry. On hot and dry days, it can even be life preserving to offer a bit of shade, a cool drink of water and some food to revive one's energy. And certainly both Abraham and Martha recognized in their guest the presence of one who brought blessing to all in their midst. Both knew it was an honor to serve such a guest, who brought the greeting of peace and the presence of the kingdom of God in their person.
Like Abraham, Martha is responding with welcome and knows the honor of receiving such a guest. Like Abraham, she wishes to prepare an appropriate meal, give her Lord a suitable place of rest, and provide for his needs after his journey. Like Abraham, she rushes about to get things in order.
But unlike Abraham, Martha never stops moving. Abraham, upon serving the meal, stands by his guests under the tree, quiet and attentive. Martha, we hear again, is "worried and distracted by many things." Rather than the hospitality coming through, it is the worry and distraction that she conveys. And Jesus, rather than ignoring what is happening, rather than either allowing that Martha needs more help and sending Mary off to join in the distraction, or telling Martha curtly to not bother him with such matters, Jesus takes another approach.
Jesus doesn't tell Martha to stop showing hospitality. He tells Martha to stop being distracted. Mary is not distracted from who is there, and why hospitality is being shown. Martha has gotten sidetracked, and harried. Mary has chosen her method of hospitality: sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. Martha has chosen another, and honorable, method of hospitality. But her focus also needs to be on Jesus, in the midst of her serving and preparing. In getting distracted from him, she has become focused inwardly, rather than remain focused on the Lord. So when Martha finally does focus on Jesus, bringing what she perceives to be her trouble to him, He takes her and her problem seriously. He addresses the root of the matter, rather than just the symptom. He tells Martha that her problem isn't Mary, and what Mary is or isn't failing to do. Martha's problem is not seeing Jesus, not listening or focusing on him, and allowing her showing of hospitality to become an end in itself.
Perhaps it is time that we in the church own up to our making a virtue out of being distracted, focusing on everything except on the one thing needful. We are often busy with many things, and make that busy-ness seem a desirable trait for a Christian. A full church calendar is viewed as ever-so necessary for a congregation that wants to "be relevant." A successful church is one that has something going on most if not all of the time: meetings and gatherings and missions and activities and events and fellowshipping and classes and things. We are so aware of all the competition around us: for attention, for priority, for relevancy, for finances, for people's time, for bodies actually present in the pews - that we can easily become distracted and worried about many things. What do we do about the dwindling number bringing children to worship? What program can we try that might create excitement and greater participation? What have we done lately that causes people in the community to want to "check us out?" What are we to do to attract more young people/parents of children/men/people of means to our programs, membership rolls, and worship services? How can we avoid the deadly designation of being "a congregation in decline"?
We are worried and distracted by many things, indeed. We have out-Marthad Martha in this. We have lost sight of the presence of the one thing needful, and sought to promote other things in place of that. For the other things, our worries and distractions, are those things we might be able to have some control over, both in their promotion and their outcome.
But the one thing needful, that we can never control. For that is the Lord Jesus himself, who comes to us with words of peace and welcome, bringing the Kingdom of his Father near to us and to our homes and families and neighbors. He comes of his own volition, not because we have invited him or have so much to offer him, but because we so need him to be here. We who are so worried and distracted over many a great and good and important care and fear, we cannot bring peace to ourselves or to the others around us. But here Jesus comes, and grants his peace to us. He opens our eyes to our failures and our sins, even our inability to look upon him, sit still at his feet and really listen to his Word, even as he forgives us and turns us to face him and recognize him for who he really is.
Action and contemplation; movement and stillness; speech and silence: both are needed, and blessed, when the center remains focused on the Lord who comes to us in our broken, distracted state. It is Jesus who remains focused on us, and on this sinful world that he came to address, and dwell in, and to save. When he calls us by name, and recalls us to see him in the center of our lives, then like others we too know that the kingdom has come near to us. And, like Mary - and Martha, also - that good part shall not be taken away from us. The presence of the Lord does and will abide, by his grace, in you.