Choosing the Better Part
The story of Martha and Mary is one we are all familiar with and, like the story of the Good Samaritan that we heard last Sunday and so many of Jesus’ teachings, the message is not one that is easy to accept, or perhaps even readily clear. Shouldn’t Mary have been helping her sister? Why does Jesus side with the lazy one who let’s other people do the work? What really is the take home message here?
The story of Martha and Mary is part of a larger narrative than helping in simple household chores, which begins with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is about how we have a moral responsibility to act. The parable teaches us that it is not by sitting quietly near God that we are considered good, but by actively doing the work that needs to be done.
Luke, in writing his gospel, has set up an excellent discussion by placing these two readings side by side. Are we to assume that goodness comes from the contemplative life, sitting by God and listening, without concern for the pressing tasks of the world, or are we to assume that goodness comes from our actions, that our merit is a direct measure of how we relieve suffering in the world?
The Grace of God is such that sometimes conflicting answers can both be true. I think the take home message from these two stories, which in my opinion should definitely be read together, is that firstly we have a responsibility to act, our goodness is a direct measure of our love for others. Yet, we must keep in mind that to only act is not good. When Jesus enters Martha’s house Mary comes and sits at his feet right away, she has her priorities straight.
When God’s presence enters our lives, we should be ready and willing to drop everything we are doing, sit down, and listen attentively. Martha and the Samaritan were both right, we have to act and we have to be still. We have to get out there and change the world and we have to sit quietly and listen to God. The great wisdom in this is that in respecting both these prerogatives our actions are guided by the Holy Spirit.