Tuning In

Here are some thoughts on this Sunday's gospel that were shared with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.

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.”

 

We know this story, don’t we? Martha got it wrong and Mary got it right. Right? Well…there’s a bit more to this gospel text than that. The real issue is not what one was doing and one was not doing. Jesus’ point is that it’s a matter of being in tune with him.

 

We can be in tune with God while working, while playing and while praying. The crux of Martha’s issue wasn’t the overwhelming amount of work she was doing by herself, but the fact that she was distracted and worried by it. The work was consuming her to the point where she had no time for her guest, Jesus. Yes, the work was important. Jesus is not downplaying that, but it must not trump time with her Visitor.

 

Have you ever experienced a visit like that? You came to see your friend, to spend time with them, but where are they? They’re in the kitchen, then the laundry, flitting about everywhere, but not with you. You just want to tell them to please stop and sit down and spend time with you. Maybe we’ve been the one working and ignoring our guest.

 

Mary had chosen “the better part,” time with her Lord. This does not mean, however, that she shouldn’t get up and help her sister. There’s an interesting picture done by Johannes Vermeer that pictures both Mary and Martha as focusing on Christ, whose dark-colored robe would have been more appropriate attire for a journey than the stereotypical white (sundaysandseasons.com). We can work and simultaneously behold our Lord.

 

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