Martha and Mary - hospitality and the better portion

Scripture: Amos 8:1-12 and Psalm 52  •  Genesis 18:1-10a and Psalm 15  •  Colossians 1:15-28  • Luke 10:38-42

This week we learn about God's hospitality from the Genesis account of Abraham's hospitality to the three men and the blessed news of a child to be born, to the story of Mary and Martha's hospitality to Jesus. While Martha diligently worked to make Jesus comfortable, Jesus tells her Mary has chosen the "better part." What did Jesus mean?

In "Sir, please do not go beyond your servant," John W. Martens says that Paul, in his letter to the Colossians,  tells us that the greatest gift of hospitality any of us can offer is to invite all to participate in the welcoming of Jesus as his servants, in order "to make the Word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generation, but has now been revealed to his saints."

In "Watching Til the Ego Yields," Peter Woods challenges us to go beyond artificial and superficial hospitality, and helps us get beyond our egos, in order to invite the Christ into our lives, like Mary, so that we might share his gift of eternal life, love and forgiveness with

others.

In "Living with Martha," The Rev. Stephanie Frey turns the tables on us , so to speak, as Jesus often does, and helps us see past our own agendas, even when we think we are "doing the Lord's work." We are called to realize that Jesus, not us, is the host. What is the significance of that?

Read Debie Thomas' "Only One Thing," as she wrestles with the text and values in Martha's hospitality work, and Martha sitting at Jesus feet, listening. She says "I wonder if we can hear Jesus’s words to Martha, not as a criticism, but as an invitation.  Not as a rebuke, but as a soothing balm.  Jesus knows that we ache to be whole.  Jesus knows that we place brutal and devastating expectations on ourselves.  Jesus knows that our resentments, like Martha’s, are often borne of envy. Martha longed to sit where Mary sat. She longed to take delight in Jesus’s words.  She longed to surrender her heavy burden and allow Jesus to host her.  Maybe we long for these good things, too.”

Jesus is visiting his dear friends, but he is the Host of God's hospitality for all of us.