Today in Scripture

Luke 10:38-42:
Jesus entered a village where a woman 
whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet 
listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself 
to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” 

For such a brief and simple story, interpretations about its meaning vary as widely as the interests of the interpreters! What was Jesus saying, really? Is he showing a preference for the contemplative life over the active one? Alluding to justification by faith rather than works? Overturning the role of woman as servant in favor of woman as disciple? Or just trying to quiet some sibling rivalry?

This scripture passage immediately follows the parable of the Good Samaritan, an example Jesus presents of an individual recognizing a need, being 'moved with compassion' and going out of his way to 'love [his] neighbor as [him]self' through concrete and generous action. So, why pick on Martha?

Now, there's no way to know Martha's motivations, but one might just wonder if this was a case of just going through the motions of hospitality without her heart being in it. Was she truly making Jesus feel welcome, or bustling about with loud sighs and clattering of dishes?  And what about Mary? Was she just trying to get out of kitchen duty, or did she recognize Jesus' need to have someone really listen to him, right then and there?

Maybe, just maybe, Jesus is inviting us to consider the potential for holiness in all we do, whether spending time in prayer or up to our elbows in dirty dishes.  And inviting us to serve God by recognizing in every person God's 'image and likeness' and responding in loving attentiveness rather than harried obligation.

• Who in your life (workplace, neighborhood, family) is in need of your loving attention?

Today in Scripture

The Gospel reading for today is Luke 9: 1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God 
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

     Sometimes when I travel, I feel as if I'm taking my entire house with me. Clothes, shoes, shampoo, book, ipod, laptop, camera, magazine, cell phone, just one more sweater, etc., etc. "Take nothing for the journey"???  It may be that Jesus was trying to encourage his apostles to have to interact very directly with, even be dependent upon, strangers. Don't just go out and do your stuff and then hole up in the hotel ... connect with people! And in making the Twelve the recipients of the hospitality of the very people they are supposed to minister to, it becomes a reciprocal relationship: we each share of our own gifts to help one another.

     It can be difficult to admit the need for help. We're trained to be independent, self-sufficient. Trusting that God will indeed provide all we need is a challenging concept to believe fully. But sometimes those healing miracles can only happen when we let go of needing to be the person who makes them happen, let go of all the extra stuff that distracts us or weighs us down, and just be present to the opportunities of the moment.

•      Who has 'fed' or 'sheltered' you in your faith journey? 
•      What in your life makes it difficult to live your faith effectively?