Reboot - Time Out

Time Out

As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." [Luke 10:38-42]

Oh my, this is a difficult one. What does this story say about discipleship? What does it say about the role women then and in the life of the Church? What does it say about good manners? What does it say about Luke’s vision of the role of women in society and especially the Church? What does it tell us about Jesus?

There are those who see Jesus liberating women from “traditional roles”: Mary and Martha are encouraged to drop traditional roles of hospitality and housekeeping and become equal to the male disciples. Or, Luke is seen as keeping women in their place: Mary is only allowed to “listen” and does not get to question Jesus, or receive a commission to preach the good news as male disciples are portrayed, while Martha is scolded and shamed simply for doing what is expected of her after she invites Jesus into her home. Or, Martha shames her sister in front of her guest, Jesus, rather than taking her aside to settle things between them. Coming after a story about radical hospitality and neighborliness, The Good Samaritan, why does Martha seem to be chastised for doing the same – presumably preparing a meal for Jesus and those traveling with him. 

As to life in the first century, and before, in Jesus’s Jewish world women were allowed leadership positions and teaching positions in the synagogues, and a fair amount of autonomy in the home. Similarly, throughout the New Testament literature women are seen to support Jesus, provide leadership in emerging Christian communities around the Middle East, and arguably it is a woman, Mary Magdalene who announces the Resurrection and thus is a, if not the, founder of Christianity. This all ends in the fourth century, if not before, as the Church becomes a leading player in the Roman Empire, rather than the alternative to life in the Empire. The world’s ruling religion silenced the leadership of women in favor of an institution that conformed to the gender concepts and hierarchies of its day. [Tal Ilan, Gender, in The Jewish Annotated New Testament, p 614]

There is no “general account” of this short episode loaded with challenges to interpretation. Which gives us leeway to attempt another way in. Jesus and his disciples, we are told, are ‘on their way’ – which is on the way to Jerusalem where Jesus already has declared he will be arrested, tortured, killed, and on the third day rise again. It’s a dangerous journey, and will be his final journey to the center of Political and Religious power. Martha appears to be a home owner and invites him in. She has a sister Mary. Elsewhere, in the gospel of John, we learn that they live in Bethany and are good friends of Jesus. The sisters have a brother, Lazarus, who dies and Jesus brings back to life. There is reason to believe it is the same Martha and Mary, and that Jesus has spent time in their home on occasion.

All of which suggests an urgency to this visit – this is the last time Jesus will stop in their home. Mary, we are told, immediately grasping the urgency sits at Jesus’s feet, listening to what he is saying. Martha, also sensing the urgency and finality, sets about “many tasks,” and twice we are told that she is “distracted.” The word here means torn in several directions. This ought to be a familiar state for most of us these days – if it is not our addiction to screens of all kinds (TV, computer, tablet, smart phone), it is or addiction to the news and/or social media, the social scene, the political scene, not even to mention the many ways family life calls us to focus attention on different people throughout the family system. Is it safe to say that in the year 2019 we are a distracted people with many different people, outlets and products vying for our attention?

With the addition of at least 13 more people to offer a meal, the tasks would be many, and Martha is overwhelmed. Or, is she overwhelmed to learn that this is the last time she will see her dear friend Jesus? Does she keep busy because she knows the dangers that lurk in Jerusalem and simply does not want to think about it? Don’t we do that – keep busy so as not to think about what is really troubling our hearts and minds?

After her plea for help from Mary, Jesus addresses her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted about many things.” Does our hearing this story change if we learn that in Hebrew and Aramaic idiom the repetition of a person’s name is a sign of care and compassion for that person? Jesus has been all about hospitality throughout Luke, with the crescendo of the Samaritan’s story immediately before this one. Radical Hospitality is what Jesus teaches, lives and does. Now, he seems to say, is a time to stop, take a deep breath and clear away all the distractions. This is not the time for busy-work. He has things he wants to say to both sisters and there will be no tomorrow, no other time than the present to say them. Be here now – in the moment.

Yes, we are called to serve others and welcome others, all others, but to do that is hard work and demands that we stop now and then to catch our breath, clear away the distractions, and refocus ourselves. Distractions tear us apart. Taking time to rest and to reflect restores us and allows us to let go of all the tasks, all the worries and all the distractions that seek to divide our time, our hearts, our minds and our spirit – in short, our very being.

My friend and mentor N. Gordon Cosby would always say, “Being precedes Doing.” It is no accident that the very next story finds the disciples – including Mary and Martha? – asking Jesus “to teach us how to pray.” Prayer, all kinds of prayer, is also a time to stop, breathe, let go of the distractions, and reconnect with our inner self, our authentic self, our true being.

Finally, we might notice that throughout the New Testament narratives, Jesus the guest always becomes the host. No matter who is at the head of the table, all eyes and ears are focused on Jesus. Perhaps the story is not so complicated after all. We are all distracted and worried much of the time. We all need to reset, reboot, stop so we can start again with renewed focus on the tasks of loving God and loving our neighbors. We need to stop and refocus our eyes and ears on Jesus, what he says and what he does. And the very next verse, the beginning of chapter 11 is, “He was praying in a certain place…” Even Jesus needs to stop and reset. The journey to Jerusalem is a long and risky one, but a journey that changes lives and changes the world.