July 22, 2007 at Saint Mark Church Norman, OK
Genesis 18:1-10 + Psalm 15 + Colossians 1:24-28 + Luke 10:38-42
In Sufi literature there is a story told that leads to the point of these verses in the Journey Narrative. “Master,” said a disciple, “I saw a man who could fly.” “So?” said the master, “a bird can fly.” “Master,” said the disciple, “I saw a man who could live under water.” “So?” said the master, “a fish can live underwater.” “Master,” said the disciple, I saw a man who, in the twinkling of an eye, could move from one town to another.” “So?” said the master, “Satan can do that.” “If you wish to find something truly extraordinary, “the master continued, “find a man who can be among people and keep his thoughts on God.”
Superficial religion often gravitates to the spectacular: Men flying, living under water, instantaneously traveling from one place to another. Some people consider this to be the supernatural stuff of real religion. There are countless other trivial but fascinating examples that excite those who busy themselves with the curious and spectacular. Images of Christ in clouds, the face of the Blessed Mother in a reflection, all provide modern versions of the Sufi disciple’s ideas. The truly extraordinary, the marvelous and wonderful ideal life of a disciple is found in that virtue of being “among people and keeping one’s thoughts on God.”
This is the point of this Gospel lesson. Removing it from its connection to last week’s Samaritan story is not a good way to get to the heart of the message. A question began this section of the Gospel a few weeks back:
“What must I do?” From that dialogue there came an affirmation of what is written in the Law: “Love God – Love Neighbor” to sum it up briefly.
What we see in the story we proclaim this week is the living of the law: Love of God – Mary Love of Neighbor – Martha. The two are not to be separated. This is not an either/or issue, and to make it so misses the point. So, coming on the heels of the Samaritan story, this is a shocking reversal. Having just heard Jesus tell the story of someone who goes the extra mile to help someone, we should expect Jesus to urge Mary to help Martha. First, he praises the one who serves: that Samaritan. Then he praises one who sits and listens to the word of the Master. In a true disciple, these two roles go together.
There is another interesting little twist to this story. Mary is breaking a social barrier. She is behaving like a man. In that time and culture, women stayed in the kitchen and tended to those things. Men sat at the feet of a rabbi, listened, and conversed. In a subtle little way, Luke is opening the role of the disciple to women and confirming their call to ministry.
Bringing home the whole message of this Gospel puts a challenge and an opportunity in every home where Jesus is the guest. Both men and women would do well to think through the layers of meaning possible with these verses. Seeking the wisdom of a balanced life, both husbands and wives might well examine how it goes at home. A husband or a wife who is busy providing like Martha, whose whole focus and identity is on work and providing for others is not keeping the balance Luke proposes for a true disciple. There must also be an equal measure of presence, like Mary; that presence of intimacy, of taking time to simply listen, and sitting with another for the sake of love is just as important as keeping the bills paid. In homes and in relationships where that balance is kept, Jesus is easily found. That balance must be the same in every loving relationship, even with God. It is not always necessary to be doing something, and prayer is not always saying something. Adoration is very silent and done best without words. To a culture like ours, to a people who are so busy and always in the fast lane, Jesus then speaks a word of caution and word of wisdom. It’s not that Martha is better than Mary or the other way around. It’s that one without the other is not the way of a