Genesis 18:1-10a(10b-14)
Colossians 1:21-29
Luke 10:38-42
When I was a boy of 10, 11 and 12, my parents would take us to Plainfield, New Jersey to visit my Aunt Jane (Aunt Jennie) and her daughter, Loretta. Both were widows with Loretta caring for her aging Mother. I can remember always going there on Sundays and always in the early afternoon. This was a time, not so long ago, when people would visit one another on Sundays and Sundays were literally "days of rest." You probably remember those days too!!
My sister and I were treated like gold and "spoiled rotten" on those visits. Cousin Loretta loved to cook and prepare special dishes for our visits. We wouldn't just eat one meal but have many courses throughout the day resting between these courses with the adults' engaging in good conversation and my sister and I either being allowed to explore their rather big house, play games or watch some "black and white" television. As we got older, we were also allowed to participate in the adult conversations.
Throughout most of the day, Loretta was busy in the Kitchen cooking, cleaning and setting and resetting the dining room table. She missed out on a lot of our time together but she was about her chores and the preparation of some very special dishes for us. In a way, she was doing what she felt she had to do and at the same time wanted to do for us. She was Miss Hospitality plus! The Martha Stewart of her time, the 50s!
Loretta was somewhat like Martha in the Gospel. She "was distracted by her many tasks." I don't believe that this means that Martha was any less a disciple (follower) of Jesus than Mary. I also don't believe we should choose sides in this story believing that without a Martha there would be no meal or without a Mary there would be no listening to the WORD.
I believe that Jesus is asking us in the Gospel to put our attention and focus on Him. He is not telling us that family and work and housekeeping have no place in our lives. Rather, he urges us to choose Him first and let all of these other things take their place in accordance with that choice.
One current book dealing with setting priorities in one's life is the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey. The third habit is Put First Things First - called the Habit of Personal Management. Effectiveness in this habit requires balancing important relationships, roles and activities. Some key ideas related to this habit are:
When we were finished our dessert at Aunt Jennie's house, Loretta would put everything aside - dishes and cleaning and join us in the living room for conversation, reminiscing and laughter.
That really is the point of the story of Martha and Mary. Some parts of life are temporary - others are eternal. Wisdom knows the difference!
Occasionally, we need to put aside the work we do for the Lord and just spend some time with Him.
Won't you invite Jesus into your heart today - this morning at St. Stephen's - July 21, 2001? Invite Him in, offer Him welcome, extend your hospitality, sit at His feet, ignore the distractions around you and let Him shape your life to His presence. Put aside the dishes and cooking and cleaning! And the door to the Kingdom will be open for you and it sit there and only there that you can claim eternal life!
Amen.