Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)
Read Luke 10:38-42 on biblegateway.com
Verse 38Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Verse 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. Verse 40But 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." Verse 41But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; Verse 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
Devotion
Don't just sit there—do something! This activist credo has currency nowadays, especially among the young. Service to others is both an outcome of faith and a pathway to faith. The history of interpretation of this text reveals that the two sisters have been viewed as exemplars of two spiritual paths: activity (Martha) and contemplation (Mary). Which does Jesus commend here? Does he praise Mary at Martha's expense? That's much too facile. After all, Jesus and his apostles depended on the kindness and service of others. Surely the reflective and the active modes of discipleship need each other. Indeed, they feed off each other. "Don't just do something—sit there" is what we sometimes "Mary-deficient" folks need to hear, so that we remember the why of our engaged, grounded service in Christ's name.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, nurture both the Mary and the Martha in me. Amen.