Lent 2022, Day 35

 


Today’s BiOB reading includes the parable of the Good Samaritan, the teaching of the Lord’s Prayer, and one of my favorites, the Mary vs Martha incident.

Martha had been busily running around, doing all that had to be done, while Mary sat and listened to Jesus. After Martha complained to Jesus, this was his response: 

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I sort of wish that Jesus had anticipated the Brady Bunch and added another “Martha” to his statement (I’ll pause a moment for us all to channel our inner Jan), and I also wish that he had given Martha at least some credit. After all, there WERE things that HAD to be done! Even today, when rules of hospitality are somewhat more lax than they were in first century Israel, one is expected to feed guests and provide them with a clean and comfy place to stay. Who was going to do that if the hosts (Mary and Martha) did not? Sitting and listening is all well and good, but people need to eat! Right? Of course, we’re taking about Jesus here—maybe he had planned on creating a feast miraculously. Or perhaps if Martha had settled down and paid attention until everyone was hungry, there would have been a group effort to put something together.

 I do admire Martha, though, for expressing herself honestly to Jesus. The book of John recounts when Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus dies, and Jesus gets there too late (or does he …?). Mary won’t even speak to Jesus, but Martha rushes out to meet him and basically blames Jesus for her brother’s death. That’s the kind of honesty you find in a close, confident friendship. So I think Martha, despite the bad rap she gets, paid a lot more attention to Jesus than we think. Either way, I love her, and it’s clear that Jesus did too.

 Where does Libby come in to musings on Martha? I guess that question is more about me—how present am I? Am I always scurrying and/or distracted? Do I take the time to focus all of my attention on someone who craves time with me? In this regard I want to be like Mary, like Jesus. But my inner Martha is lurking, needing to get on to the next task. And that’s ok too.

 #lent2022 #bibleinoneyear #rescuedogsofinstagram #repentandbelieve

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