9 PENTECOST, PROPER XI - C- 16 LUKE 10. 38-42
Because we know the story so well there is no real
need to go into every little detail. Rather, let’s take a look at it from the
standpoint of two questions. First, who is “serving” the Lord here? Is it
Martha? Or is it Mary? Or both? Next, Jesus says Mary has chosen the “better
portion.” What does he mean?
Hospitality in the Middle East before and during the
time of Jesus meant everything. Just look at today’s first lesson. Abraham
receives three unexpected guests (The Holy Trinity) and goes out of his way to
provide hospitality. He focuses his undivided attention on the visitors in
order to meet their every need. Abraham, we might say, is present to them and
his attentiveness is rewarded with the promise of a son.
It would seem from today’s gospel story that Martha
is going all out to provide hospitality to Jesus. A simple meal consisting of a
single dish would have been sufficient for the time. But it would appear that
she is doing much more than what is socially required and or expected.
Her attention is focused on her “serving” Jesus’
physical needs, so much so, that she is distracted and becomes upset with her
younger sister who is just sitting there listening to Jesus. “Can’t you tell
Mary to help me?” She asks Jesus. To which Christ responds, “Martha, Martha,
you are doing too much. One dish is plenty. Mary has chosen the better portion.”
I love Jesus’ use of the word “portion” in this case. A portion is in itself a “serving.”
Martha is “serving” in her own way. Mary is “serving”
Jesus in her own way and in doing so brings nourishment to Christ’s spirit. She
has given him her undivided attention, making herself present to Him in a most
real way much in the same manner as Abraham did with his three visitors in
today’s first lesson.
Wouldn’t we all like to know what Jesus was telling
Mary? Was He speaking of the kingdom of His Father, or simply telling her about
the Father. Luke doesn’t say. Whatever it was Mary was captivated by it to the
frustration of her sister Martha.
Martha thought she was doing what was needed by
providing hospitality. She thought she was meeting Jesus’ needs in every way
that was expected and then some. While Mary, at least in the eyes of Martha,
was doing nothing. But in reality Martha was distracted with Mary and allowed
her distraction to take her away from what was really important, making herself
present to Jesus as Mary did.
How true is all of that today in terms of human
relationships. By that, I mean how often we encounter another human being but
never really make ourselves present to them. Oh we speak and sometimes engage
in conversation, but are never really present. Blame it on distractions or the
fact that we are simply too busy to give ourselves to another person. And then
again most of us have been on the receiving end.
When I was a full-time rector of a large parish
social events were frequent. There were baptismal parties, engagement parties,
and wedding receptions to name a few. And because I was the rector I was most
often invited to such events.
It was a common occurrence, at least for me, to have
someone walk up and greet me, and I in
turn attempt to strike up a conversation, only to realize that they were not
really present to me. Their eyes were looking past me, checking out the room to
see who else was there that they had rather speak to, and when they sighted
that person would politely make their exit with a smile.
No interpersonal bond took place. Just a subtle
nicety. Although you made yourself present to that person, they did not
reciprocate. Presence was given but not received. Distraction took the other
person away, leaving you standing there somewhat disappointed.
To answer our first question “who is serving Jesus?”
The answer is of course Mary. Mary is “serving” Jesus by giving him her “real”
presence in a way that exceeds Martha’s hospitality. Mary’s undivided attention
has nourished Christ’ humanness in a way that physical food could never do.
And, not to be overlooked is Jesus’ “serving” Mary as the “servant of God.”
Brother Lawrence, a 14th century monk,
wrote a spiritual classic entitled “Practicing The Presence of God.” His little
book is all about our learning to make ourselves present to God whatever the
surroundings or humble the situation might be. We must learn to acknowledge
that God is always present to us at all times and in all places and learn to be
present to Him.
It is easier to do, for most of us, when we enter
this sacred space and tougher out there in the market place of life where it is
difficult to find Him with so many distractions. This is where we come to think
about God, listen to His word and receive the Holy Sacrament. This, above all
places should be where we give God our undivided attention. There is reason
most churches are referred to as sanctuaries. Here we can escape from the world
outside and “practice the presence of God.”
Church custom has always been to enter in silence,
and acknowledge the altar before entering the pew and kneeling to say our
prayers prior to the beginning of the service. Have we become so lax in our
worship that we have forgotten where we are? In whose presence we come? The
Real Presence of Jesus is here. The Sanctuary Lamb reminds us.
Are we so much like Martha that we allow ourselves
to be distracted upon entering this Holy Space by bringing the outside world’s
distractions with us? To do so is to fall into poor spiritual habits that carry
over into worship and in our human relationships. This is a Holy place
consecrated to the worship and glory of God.
It is, and should be unlike any other place we enter
during the week. There should be sights, sounds, and on occasion even smells
that are not encountered anywhere else. Our behavior, then, while in this Holy
space, likewise should be different; our posture different; our responses
different and our attention undivided as we make our presence “real” to God, by
being attentive to the hearing of God’s Holy Word and humbled in receiving the
Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of His only Son, Jesus.
It is in learning to make ourselves truly present to
God, first in worship, then, no matter the surroundings or the circumstances,
that we in turn are able to make ourselves present to one another. Making
ourselves present to God and neighbor is a means by which we “serve” both.
Our
relationship to God is in a person, Jesus Christ, and through Him to God the
Father. It is a community Jesus came to build, one relationship at a time; a
community based on Love. To know Him as He knows us is to Love Him as He Loves
us.
Mary had the better “portion” because she had come
to know Him. In the giving of her “real” presence to Christ an interpersonal
and everlasting bond was established; one based on Love. That relationship,
that bond, and the Love that comes with it is “the better portion.”
And the promise of Jesus to Mary, and to all who
give themselves to Him, is that “portion” will never be taken away. AMEN+
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