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Trinity Episcopal Church Hattiesburg, Mississippi Eighth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 11) July 22, 2007 Go To Trinity's Home Page

Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42
Collect of the Day
From the Revised Common Lectionary as Adapted for Use by the Episcopal Church
and Authorized by the 75 th General Convention of the ECUSA

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)

Honor, Respect, and Hospitality
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop
(Revised 26 July 2007)

     In 1967, Stanley Kramer directed a William Rose film starring Spencer Tracy and Kathryn Hepburn. In that film, the daughter, Joanna, decided that it was time to bring her fiancée, Dr. John Prentice, home to meet her parents. The parents were beside themselves as they prepared this all important dinner – dashing about, setting the table, making certain that everything was exactly right. All of their readiness could not prepare them, or movie audiences of 1967, for what was to come as Joanna’s black fiancée met her very white parents. Remember the film? Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner challenged the social and cultural conventions of this nation. So too, the story of Jesus coming to the house of Martha and Mary challenges our views of inclusion and hospitality.

     Today’s Gospel reading is one of my personal favorites. Let’s imagine the scene for a moment. By this stage of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ teaching and healing have become well known: He is a celebrity. People anticipate his visits, and flock to him, hoping to catch a glimpse of the teacher, or perhaps to touch his cloak. One can imagine a herd of excited boys and girls rushing ahead letting people know that Jesus is coming. “Jesus of Nazareth is here!” “The Healer from Bethlehem is at the edge of town!” “The Rabbi will be here soon!” People flock from their homes to see this man who was becoming a legend.

     We can imagine that it was such an event when Jesus, with the disciples in tow, walked into the village home of Mary and Martha which we assume from the Gospel of John is Bethany, almost due east of Jerusalem. The villagers dropped what they were doing and came out of their homes in waves, as the news of his coming rippled through the village. Mary and Martha were busy, preparing their midday meal and doing household chores when they heard the commotion and announcement that the legend had come to their part of the world.

     “Mary, can it be? Is Jesus, of whom we have head so much, really here! Can you believe our good fortune? He comes just when the meal is almost ready. How fortunate,” Martha says as she surveys their surroundings. Martha looks at her reflection in the still water of the basin near the door. Reflected back is the face of a woman, proud that she kept such a good home.

     “Oh Martha, can you believe that the man we have heard the elders talk about is right here in our village?” Mary says almost dreamily to her sister. “They say he talks of like a prophet. I want to hear him. I even hear he’s handsome.” Mary blushes with embarrassment at her musing; this was too forward – even if only her sister heard her.

     “Mary!” said Martha, realizing that not everything is perfect, “He is almost on our street, and we haven’t even set the table. We need to get the rest of the food prepared! Stop day dreaming about this prophet, and help me!” Anxiously, Martha ran into the street to invite Jesus to their home completely ignoring what people will say when this Rabbi, this man, will come into their house.

     But Jesus seems to always do the unexpected. He walked right to their door with the astonished and proud Martha beside him. The disciples are left outside, muttering to themselves and trying to explain to the villagers why their unmarried master just went into the house of two unmarried sisters – alone. Their explanation is missing from Luke; too bad, that would have made an interesting story!

     Probably in shock that Jesus would so eagerly break social custom and enter their home, Martha probably fell back on what was familiar to her and set about being the good housekeeper and cook. Mary, stunned that her daydreams are turning true, could do no more than sit at Jesus’ feet which is a place reserved for Jesus’ disciples. This is Luke’s way of saying that women are full and equal partners in the tradition of discipleship. Those today who object to equality of women and the right of women to serve as ministers and priests should perhaps reflect on this passage in greater depth.

     Martha, totally absorbed by the need to provide for her guest complained, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? We would like to be good hosts to you, but I can’t do everything for you alone.” “Look at this table!” Martha thought to herself, “What have I done inviting this man to our home before everything was perfect?” Worried that Jesus would think less of her and her sister for not having everything prepared to perfection, Martha complained, “Please, Jesus, tell Mary then to help me.”

     Jesus’ response was “Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen to sit at my feet and let me teach her. What I have to say to her, and to all who will listen, comes from God. God’s word cannot be taken away from her. It is like treasure stored up in heaven. Martha, search your heart. You and Mary already know me. Come then, it is not necessary for you to be concerned about these household affairs. It would give me great pleasure for you to do nothing but listen to what I have to say” You can almost imagine him saying “After all, Martha, we do not live on bread alone.”[1]

     Last Sunday, we heard the lesson of the Good Samaritan, or the Good Innkeeper as I renamed it. We talked about the Innkeeper who cared for the battered and robbed Judean traveler who was brought to the inn by the Samaritan. That parable shows us that God expects us to look beyond ourselves, our intimate circle of friends, our culture, our gender, our age, and our race, to embrace all of humanity as our neighbor, and to extend our hospitality to all. That parable challenges us, just like the Innkeeper was challenged, to do more than is expected of us.

     The parable of Mary and Martha continues Jesus’ instruction to us, and shows us a highly personal example of how to be hospitable. Jesus was a prophet, and he came to their house at Martha’s invitation, and offered himself to them. This is important: As their guest, Jesus offered himself to his hostesses. He did not come because he needed shelter or because he was expecting Martha Stewart to serve him Boneless Loin En Chemise, and Insalata di Mare. Instead Jesus came at their invitation to teach. Mary understood this and she did the hospitable thing. She sat at his feet waiting to hear him speak. What is more hospitable than to let a prophet speak, and what is more appropriate than to sit respectfully as his feet and listen?

     The parables of the Good Innkeeper, and Mary and Martha model for us how to “do” church. We live in a religiously pluralistic world. Did you know that there are more Muslims in the United States than Episcopalians? And among Christian denominations we are among the smaller ones. But I believe that we Episcopalians can be among the most welcoming and open of all because many of us come from other denominational traditions. In fact, I am glad we are called "Episcopalians," because we are indeed a church of aliens. Among us are "Baptalians," "Methalians," "Cathalians," and "Lutherpalians." Trinity is a spiritual inn where people of diverse traditions are truly welcome. But Mary’s actions challenge to us to not forget that all important sense of hospitality.

     We church goers sometimes act too much like Martha. We become so preoccupied with making sure that everything in the house is arranged properly that we forget to be hospitable; we forget why we are here in the first place. We need to remember that our goal is less to do things perfectly, than it is to create a space where hospitality, fellowship, and worship can flourish. Mary showed Jesus respect and honor by her attentiveness. We need to do likewise, remembering that our guests can teach us much if we are attentive and listen to them.

     I hope we will remember that we need to offer ourselves to everyone who comes through our doors, for it is in this act of hospitality that we walk in the way of Christ and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.

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Amos 8:1-12

This is what the Lord GOD showed me-- a basket of summer fruit. He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the LORD said to me, the end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,” says the Lord GOD; “the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place. Be silent!” Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt? On that day, says the Lord GOD, I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and the end of it like a bitter day. The time is surely coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.

Psalm 52 Quid gloriaris?

1 You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness *
against the godly all day long?

2 You plot ruin;
your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *
O worker of deception.

3 You love evil more than good *
and lying more than speaking the truth.

4 You love all words that hurt, *
O you deceitful tongue.

5 Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, *
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
and root you out of the land of the living!

6 The righteous shall see and tremble, *
and they shall laugh at him, saying,

7 “This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, *
but trusted in great wealth
and relied upon wickedness.”

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; *
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9 I will give you thanks for what you have done *
and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel. I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Luke 10:38-42

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.”

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

[1] Luke 4:4

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Copyright © 2007, William G. Stroop - All Rights Reserved.
16 July 2007

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