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Whenever I encounter today's passage from the Gospel of Luke, I'm a little uneasy. I find myself sympathizing and even identifying with the hardworking, dutiful Martha, who is resentful of her carefree sister. (I also feel the same about the brother of the prodigal son.). I'm sure Martha was, like me, an oldest child and that she felt responsible for getting the meal on and serving her guests; she wanted to make sure everything was right. Shouldn't she get some credit for
this? And, by the way, those dishes will not wash themselves. As I thought about this scene, I decided that Jesus is not repudiating who Martha is, nor is he declaring that Mary is the better person. He is merely saying that on this occasion Mary "chose the better part." She recognized the gift of Jesus' presence and his words. She was at the feet of the Word who became flesh; she had seized the moment. During one of my classes, as I was teaching my students
about carpe diem, they were teaching me about YOLO, You Only Live Once. Both phrases remind us to live in the present, to take joy in the good things in life. Sometimes this may mean loosening up a bit, departing from the routine and letting go. Poor Martha had gotten bogged down, "anxious and worried about many things." (Sound familiar?) Mary, on the other hand, kept her eye on the prize, the most important thing, the one true thing. Having said this, I don't
believe that Jesus was giving Mary or any of us permission to sit around all day and abandon our chores and obligations. He was telling us, however, that sometimes the dishes can wait.
- by Mary Longo
Creighton Online Ministries
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