Either/Or of Both/And?

Here are some thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. Please let me know what you see in these verses. Thanks!

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

³⁸Now as [Jesus and his disciples] 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.”

Just five short verses…but oh does this passage pack a punch. It also raises some questions. On an initial reading, this is what jumps out at me:

1. Is this the same Mary and Martha that were Lazarus’ sisters. If so, where was Lazarus?

2. It was Martha’s home. Was Lazarus dead?

3. The text twice tells us that Martha was distracted. How many of us have been so concerned with serving a guest that we have become more concerned with the details of service than the guest? That was certainly the case for me when I was younger.

4. Why did Martha go to Jesus to complain and not right to Mary?

5. Is Jesus being mean again? Does he seem harsh with Martha?

There are many more questions and observations we could come up with upon initial reading. However, what I especially see in this passage is not so much an either/or but a both/and attitude that Jesus is calling for.

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