PROPER 11C

 +My parents were great entertainers. Together they had terrific parties and elegant dinners, always opening our house to a variety of guests. But, there was a downside to all that entertaining. As the day of the party approached, Mom became increasingly stressed—the house had to be spotless, the food perfect, the table settings, exquisite. Mom became anxious, irritable, and distracted. A lot like Martha in today’s gospel.
    This is a familiar story and because of how it’s been interpreted over the years, many people struggle with it.
For some, their role behind the scenes at church: on Altar Guilds, property committees, kitchen crews, seems disregarded and belittled by Jesus. Others find the fact that these two women are pitted against each other, upsetting. Before we wipe our hands clean of this story---I mean perhaps preaching on God’s anger with the Israelites in Amos would have been a better choice---let’s consider what Luke’s trying to get across here. In these four verses, Luke shows us that there are a number of ways to serve God, and that how we serve God doesn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that we do serve God--- at all times and in all places.
Still, it does seem that Jesus is siding with Mary doesn’t it?
 That somehow Martha was insulting Jesus while Mary was honoring him.
    I don’t think Jesus meant to suggest that Mary’s way was the only way, nor was he suggesting that Martha’s way was the wrong way….I think he used that moment—when Martha’s anxiety had taken firm hold—as a teachable moment.
    This scene immediately follows what we heard last week—the parable of the Good Samaritan---a story in which Jesus implores his followers to be do-ers of the Word not just hear-ers. In that parable the inaction of the priest and the Levite—both bound by Jewish law to not go to the man’s aid— are criticized by Jesus, while the hospitality—the tangible action of the Samaritan— is honored. Last week, Jesus said, “Go and do like wise.” Be do-ers of the Word.
    But then this week Jesus appears to contradict himself, praising the seeming inaction of Mary who sits at his feet to receive his word, while condemning the action of Martha who’s offering the culturally expected  hospitality —Jesus praises the hearer of the word, while condemning the do-er. What’s up with that?
But neither Jesus nor Luke is being contradictory. Instead they’re using these two different stories to illuminate how a community of Christians need both do-ers and hear-ers. Both receivers and givers.
Mary and Martha are two halves of what is needed to make a household work: their household in Bethany and the household of God. They are two halves of what makes God’s Kingdom hum.
    There’s no problem with Mary hearing the Word and Martha doing the Word. BUT, there is a problem afflicting Martha, a problem familiar to my mom, a problem familiar to many of us as we navigate our lives:
 anxiety, worry and distraction. Through Martha’s effort to love her neighbor as herself, she’s become anxious and distracted.
While focusing on her tasks, she’s lost sight of the goal.
The tasks of hospitality have gotten in the way of being hospitable. When the details of hospitality, the serving of food, the setting of the table [the liturgies, music and preaching] become more important than the welcome and love of neighbor, then we’ve all missed the mark.
In today’s Gospel Jesus was saying to Martha,” what you’ve done is enough, thank you. Now stop and let us be in fellowship.”
    Martha and Mary isn’t an “either or” proposition,  it’s a “Yes and” proposition.
 To Love and Serve the Lord requires giving AND receiving. To love and serve the Lord requires both speaking and listening. Both busyness and stillness.
Hospitality isn’t the issue.
Discipleship isn’t the issue.
Attentiveness is.
Jesus is saying, do the work that’s necessary to offer hospitality, but don’t make the preparations take away from the dinner party.
Those parties my parents hosted were fun, we loved them. But the days leading up to those parties? Those were brutal.
Sometimes what we’re being called to do is to sit still and listen. Sometimes what we’re called to do is to stand up, get out and do. Our job is to be attentive enough to do what it is God needs done, not what we think needs to be done. Amen.