Mary, Martha and Jesus - BFF's!

I don’t know about you, but every time I hear the Martha and Mary Gospel, I get a little nudge of conscience. I flip into questions, such as: 
• Am I too busy to invite God into a deeper relationship in my life? Am I willing to let go of my expectations and control of how God needs to be for me?
• What is the gift of hospitality that I present in my daily life to others, to God, to myself?
• Do I daily design time in which I hold still mindfully, heartfully, and soulfully, listening to God’s Word revealed to me through the Scriptures, through nature, and through the wisdom of others?

I will provide a few links below to assist you in your own personal reflections regarding this wonderful Lukan Gospel story. However, I think for myself, I’d like to come at this story by way of another portal – that is, through the art of spiritual direction and retreat ministry. But first I’d like to muse on a few other ideas. 

So often commentaries, in referring to this Gospel, speak with comparison between Martha – whose name means, “lady of the house” - symbolizing the active lifestyle, and Mary – whose name means, “wise woman” - symbolizing the contemplative lifestyle. The reader then is invited to consider to which woman do they relate?

If that’s not enough to consider, I suppose we could also reflect on extrovert and introvert temperaments. Again, Martha – the extrovert, (my thoughts) invites Jesus into her home, is comfortable with Jesus and spoke to him as if he were a part of their family. They were close friends, not just acquaintances, they were truly BFF’s!  Their home could be considered Jesus’ home away from home. Mary – the introvert – not getting all bothered with the household tasks, may be a little shy, was dedicated to Jesus and his teachings. Her approach was one of sitting as a student at the feet of Jesus. He loved them both – here he found refuge from the crowds and the criticism of the religious and political leaders. 

Or we could ponder the personality types of the “concrete sequential” - (Martha) – one practical and efficient, delighting in all the multi-taskings overtaking one’s every moment. And in contrast, the “random romantic,” - (Mary) - who is at ease with a slower pace to life’s tasks – (or who may ask, “What tasks?”), and who loves lots of options and finds it difficult to choose just one, and goes with the flow of life - enjoying something like lying in the grass stargazing while eating marshmallows!

In other commentaries, it is said that that this Gospel reflects the role of women in the early Christian church. “At the time the gospels were recorded, the early Christians were arguing about what women could and could not do in the early Church. Should they be ministers? Should they be allowed to speak in public meetings? Should the traditional Jewish custom be followed, with ministry held by men only? Or might the Christian communities have priests and priestesses, as other ancient religions did?” Certainly these comments are thought provoking and heart-stirring as well, besides being pertinent for today's ecclesiastical realities.

Finally - and here is my original purpose in focusing on this Gospel - this story reminds me of the art of spiritual direction and the ministry of retreat work. So often people can come to retreat or spiritual direction with all the business of life – they may come “wired” with so much tornadic energy that getting settled, focused, and relaxed takes quite awhile.  For retreatants, it may take a couple of days of quieting, resting, and allowing one’s spirit to arrive! For those in spiritual direction, it may take a couple of sessions with the director to slow down inwardly, and to truly hear what the voices within are saying, and even how God has been trying to get one’s attention.

So no matter if we are an extrovert or introvert, a random romantic or concrete sequential, or an active multi-tasker or a star-gazer-dreamer-deep listener – we all are invited into God’s heart, who provides unconditional love and hospitality 24/7 or 25/8! No one is turned away – God IS the better part, and God’s mercy and compassionate love can never be outdone in generosity!

http://liturgy.slu.edu/16OrdC072113/main.html

http://americamagazine.org/content/the-word/your-service

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph9Qt_kFtGs

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/072113.html