Welcoming a Guest: Mary and Martha ~ by Ronnie Archer
The reading of Luke's Gospel, 10:38-42, is about the sisters, Martha and Mary, and the two different ways that they chose to "welcome a guest." Martha welcomed Jesus, but was too busy with other preparations to really "minister" TO Jesus at that time; which the other sister, Mary did, by sitting at his feet and listening to HIM.
Martha "grumbled" to Jesus about Mary not helping her, to which Jesus replied, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her." Most important is to find out what the guest's needs/wants are; and then attend to that need.
We, at times, put too much emphasis on actions. Sometimes, we should be still and listen to GOD, giving attention to HIM by service to each other; and not to do so with a discontented attitude.
Labels: sundayreflection
posted by mary ann @ Thursday, July 26, 2007
1 comments
1 Comments:
Another aspect of this story is the respect Jesus has for the women he comes in contact with.
During a time when women were not allowed to study the Torah (that was a man's perogative) and were relegated to kitchen duty and producing children, Jesus clearly made no such distinctions. There was no question that Mary of Bethany was allowed to sit with the disciples and listen to Jesus' teachings.
That required a certain courage by Mary also, since she did not linger at the edge of the group of guests surrounding Jesus; but sat at his feet.
Martha seems to have been an independent woman also. She issued the invitation for Jesus and his friends to visit HER home. She was obviously head of the household; and as such was responsible for preparing the welcome for her special guest.
Jesus showed great compassion to Martha because he recognized how much work and worry went into preparing a meal for him and his followers. Remember, Martha never complained about how much these preparations and the feast cost her monetarily. Her only request was that her sister help her. Who knows, that if she had had her help, Martha might also have had time to sit with Mary and listen to the teachings of Jesus.
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