Marys and Marthas of the World, Unite!

Marys and Marthas of the World, Unite! A sermon preached by Michael Giansiracusa

There were two women who went to a private, tuition-free inner city school to volunteer. Both were excited – hoping to tutor or help in the cafeteria. Maybe there would even be a chance to work in a classroom or read a story.

When the first volunteer arrived, she found chaos. There were some students being talked to by a teacher in the hall. Some students were still in the chapel area; still others in the classroom learning from a teacher’s aide.

She told someone at the main desk that she was here, but they just said to go ahead in and she would be helped.

She then found the cafeteria and there were already three volunteers in addition to the staff. Then, thinking about all the other things she had to do at home, she decided to leave. Disappointed, she returned home not finding anything to do or no one to guide her.

When asked how did it go at the school, she said, “They had nothing for me to do. They were so unorganized. I am not going back until they get their act together.”

Now the second volunteer found the same situation. Kids in the hall being talked to by a teacher, others in chapel, still more in the class being taught by an aide.

Rather than leave, she stayed around observing. She watched the students laugh with each other. One got reprimanded for throwing food. One student was helping another with a math problem. She saw a woman waiting outside the classroom and decided to strike up a conversation. She learned how this mom sacrificed her own life to keep her children safe, how she worked several jobs and how they recently found a home for the first time.

When she came home and was asked what she did at the school, she said I didn’t do anything but I can’t wait to go back again!

Being productive, being useful. These are very valued in today’s society – maybe they have always been. But can you be productive and useful yet so distracted that you miss the point?

What is the bottom line vs. what was the journey? What did you get in that class vs. what did you learn today?

Which question do you often ask first? Which is more important?

Martha would probably be very good at standardized tests. Mary may be, too, but I like to think of her as excelling in literature or history – story and the moment seem to matter to her. Perhaps Mary would have been a great engineer – attentively listening to details or even a rabbi herself listening at the feet of a rabbi – that’s what a good student of the Law at the time would do.

She couldn’t be any of those things, mind you. Women were not permitted to study the Law – although some did – in her time.

We do need doers, don’t we? I mean, what if everyone just sat at the feet of their teachers listening, always studying, never getting anything done?

I am horrible at standardized tests. Having gotten my share of degrees, I also think they are not indicators of potential performance. I know they make a lot of money for the testing companies and photo ops for politicians looking for a quick fix to what ails education.

How many here identify with Mary? How many with Martha?

For me, I always loved the fact that Jesus chose Mary’s way over Martha’s.

But can it really be that simple? He doesn’t really choose Mary OVER Martha, does he? So, what is his beef with Martha and would Jesus really be happy if no dinner was made at all? Talk about fulfilling roles, am I fulfilling one if I say I don’t know any man who is happy when dinner is not ready?

Looking back at this story, we can see a conflict in Luke’s community about what is the more authentic life – one of contemplation or one of action. Perhaps, too, we can see a usurping of traditional females roles – Jesus preferring equality – a woman can be a student of the law vs. just getting dinner ready.

How many of us lived out the roles we were put into? Do we play the part of the strong male who doesn’t talk and never cries? The supportive wife who knows the money earned by her husband may be tainted but never questions? The good student who believes they can drink and do drugs as long as they get an A? What false expectations and roles do we force on ourselves or on each other?

What roles were played out in the Zimmerman case or in the Supreme Court decisions recently decided? By those involved, or the media, or us?

Those in authority often fool themselves into believing they need to know everything.

Martha’s part or role was typical. Mary’s role was not.

This story is one of a long line of Gospel tales in which some follow the rules but misses the point. The rich man asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus tells him to follow the commandments, he responds, “I have done that!” He followed all the rules! Then Jesus says, “Sell all you have.” “Oh, well then no.”

The story last week of the Good Samaritan – the Priest and Levite followed the religious rules not touching a person with blood on them and both missed the point.

Now, Martha follows the role assigned and misses the point.

What role can we break out of today? This week? This year?

How does breaking out make us more aware of those who are hurting; of where God may be?

How are we distracted by doing so much so that we miss the entire point?

We can hide behind keeping busy. We can hide by fulfilling the roles assigned to us.

Break out, break free!

Let’s ask ourselves: What part, what role does God have for you today? Are we too distracted to see?