Genesis 18:1-10a; Luke 10:38-42

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1 Proper 11 C July 21, 2013 Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Chanhassen, Minnesota Pastor Kristie Hennig Genesis 18:1-10a; Luke 10:38-42 Most of us can relate to the story Luke tells about Mary and Martha hosting Jesus in their home. Whatever our gender, I daresay each of us can identify with one or both of the sisters. Whether we see ourselves in Martha or Mary (or a little of both), there s a good chance we go away from the story feeling, well chastised, put down, stuck in either our anxiety, our perfectionism, or the gender roles that society sets, or feeling out of step with a world driven by lists and goals and rising expectations. Here s my story. When I was a young wife and mother, just a few years ago (LOL) my husband, Gene, and I liked to invite friends over for dinner. Especially frequent guests were Gene s single guy friends from law school. They appreciated a home-cooked meal, a glass or two of wine, and a rousing argument with one another about politics or current events. Gene liked to hold forth at the head of the table, rather like Martin Luther. Since I was at home with little ones 24/7, I looked forward to adult conversation...about anything, really. Despite attempts to make it turn out otherwise, what invariably happened was that to get ready for these parties, I spent a couple of days cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and cooking 1 P a g e

2 with a baby on one hip and a toddler undoing all my straightening, begging for my attention. I struggled mightily to get everything ready. I have permission from Beloved Spouse to tell you that at this point in our marriage I was pretty much on my own with this. Gene s contribution was to show up with the wine 15 minutes before the guests arrived. (Oh, and bringing home a paycheck, too.) While then guys ate and talked and laughed and argued, I served food and cleared the table, put little ones to bed, and filled coffee and dessert orders. After the long Minnesota goodbyes at the door, Gene would go to bed since he had to get up early for work the next day. I stayed up to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen. It was exhausting. So when I look at Martha, distracted by her many tasks, noisily resentful that she is left alone to get a meal on the table, while her sister sits at Jesus feet dreamily drinking in his rich words, I see myself. But then again, I know there are times when I get so engrossed in something I am interested in, I can become 2 P a g e

3 oblivious to everything and everyone around me. Kind of like Mary. What about you? What s your Mary/Martha story? You will be relieved to know that Gene and I entertain differently now. We pay people to clean our house well ahead of time. Unless our grandson Simon is around, we are not distracted by the insistent tugs of little ones. Gene now knows what it takes to entertain guests and he is fully engaged in the preparations Not unlike Abraham in our story from Genesis, who sprang into action when his surprise guests showed up at the door of his tent. Gene still loves to pontificate from the head of the table, but now I get to enter into the conversation. So I m a lot happier. So maybe you can relate to dreamy Mary or activist Martha, or both. But what about Jesus? Does anybody relate to Jesus in this story? He s in a familiar triangle here. Martha, hoping to gain an ally and get her own needs met, points out to Jesus that Mary is out of bounds, sitting like a man at the rabbi s feet instead of helping in the kitchen, where as a female, she belongs. Refusing to take the bait, Jesus rebukes Martha not for her serving but for her over-functioning. Her anxiety, he points 3 P a g e

4 out, is hers not anybody else s. Presumably, he enjoys the meal Martha prepares and thanks her for it. I wonder if he helps clear the table? What is this story about? Jesus challenging social boundaries again, for one thing. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, which Pastor Josh preached on last week, Jesus outrageous claim is that sometimes it is the enemy, the foreigner, the outsider that turns out to be the true neighbor. Even though it doesn t make geographical sense, Luke places the story of Mary and Martha directly after the Good Samaritan story in his narrative. He wants us to see something special about Jesus message: that he is re-drawing boundaries not only about who God s people are, and how far the gospel will reach even to Israel s enemies. And he is re-drawing boundaries between men and women, too. 1 Because the deeper problem between Martha and Mary wasn t that Martha was left with all the work and worry. The deeper problem was that sitting at Jesus feet, Mary was acting like a man, transgressing an invisible but very real boundary. In Mediterranean homes of the time, there was a public room where men would meet, while women were confined to the kitchen and other private quarters in the home. For a woman to sit in the public room meant for the men, and at the feet of an important guest like a rabbi 1 Tom Wright, Luke for Everyone, P a g e

5 as if she were a disciple was unthinkable, scandalous. Only a shameless woman would behave this way. Yet instead of joining in on Martha s attempt to get Mary to return to the kitchen where, as a female, she belonged, Jesus lets her stay in effect saying that yes, defying social boundaries, she may take her place with the other would-be teachers and preachers of the kingdom of God. 2 We misuse the story of Mary and Martha if we use it to beat ourselves or others up: blessed are they who lose themselves in meditation, and cranky are they who are left to do the chores. Or some variation on that theme. Look at this painting of the story. Notice Jesus outstretched hand. It looks like Jesus is inviting Martha to stop and listen. To put her burden down and rest. Consider this: What if this is a story about the weekly cycle of work and Sabbath rest? Of setting aside social expectations to rest in God. This could be powerful for us who are so busy, so distracted that worship becomes a scheduling problem, 2 Ibid, P a g e

6 interfering with the one day we have to sleep in or sports, or something else. We find ourselves shoehorning church in to an over-filled calendar so that it is in danger of becoming to us just another task among many to be checked off our lists. And yet When we do miss worship, we miss the opportunity to come home to God, to be nourished at the table of God s Word in bread and wine, to rest in safety of this Family of faith. What about you? Are you working hard to live well? A little too hard? Do you need to hear Jesus inviting you to rest in God? Gift yourself now with a few moments to slow down and rest in God. I ll call you back in about a minute. Close your eyes. Gently let go of your stray thoughts. See yourself breathing in God s presence as a fish breathes in water. Hold on to a word or phrase or image that holds God for you. A word like Yahweh. A phrase like, Let go or Be still and know that I am God. An image like a sunset or sitting in a boat on a quiet lake. Settle into the space between your thoughts. Let everything else fall away. Embrace this time in the presence of God. Don t look for God. Know that God is here. And you are safe... Steeped in the peace that passes all understanding, let s sing. Give Me Jesus 6 P a g e