But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her

 

 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

 

- Luke 10:38-42 

 

Yesterday we read that  a certain lawyer stood up and tested Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  He said to him, "What is written in the law?  What is your reading of it?"  So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"  And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  Then Jesus answered and said:  "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"  And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

 

 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."  Mary and Martha, we remember, are the sisters of Lazarus, the one whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1-44).   This family of the two sisters and their brother are very beloved by Jesus; they are His close friends (John 11:35-36).  Therefore His approach to the two sisters comes in the context of a loving friendship.  According to the Orthodox Study Bible (OSB), Martha is not rebuked for serving, but for complaining and being distracted, worried, and troubled.  In following Christ, it says, we serve in order to facilitate the spread of the gospel (see Acts 6:1-4).  

 

This story of sisters Mary and Martha is one of my favorites in the Gospels.  It's quite interesting that their characters, and their distinguishing characteristics that make them each unique, are consistent across Gospels.  When we read of these sisters in St. John's Gospel (in the chapter 11 story of the raising of Lazarus, Christ's seventh and final "sign" of St. John's Gospel), we see the same distinctive personalities that we read of in today's story from St. Luke.  In the story of the raising of Lazarus, when Jesus approaches the home of these women, it is Martha who comes out and meets Him before He arrives at their house.  She is the one whose duties include that of the formal requirements of hospitality, and she's true to her character in St. John's story and in this one from St. Luke.  In the story of the raising of Lazarus, it is Mary who remains in the home in the traditional formal posture of mourning.  True to her character, that observant, respectful, and more "inward" facing personality shows itself in today's reading.  For anyone raised in a traditional household (particularly of Mediterranean or Near Eastern background), women's duties as those responsible for hospitality are considered quite important indeed.  Within that context, Mary's behavior might easily be considered questionable, just as Martha complains to Jesus.  Mary sits at Jesus' feet listening to His teaching, presumably along with the men who are His disciples or interested in His teaching.  We should also consider that their home is in Bethany, close to Jerusalem.  As Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem (see this reading), it is quite likely that significant people connected to the temple and the important families of that city are perhaps also present to listen to Jesus, just as they were there mourning with the sisters in the story of Lazarus (John 11:18-19).  So, with these considerations in mind, it is quite significant indeed that Mary has chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus, rather than helping her sister with the duties of the household and demands of hospitality.  The OSB comments as reported above, that in following Christ, we serve in order to facilitate the spread of the gospel.  In that light, we contrast the service of the household and duties of responsibility to guests with the service in the spread of the gospel message and the ministry of Christ.  While hospitality from the earliest times of the Church was considered a priority in terms of our attitudes toward others as Christians (and notably so in monasteries where hospitality could take priority even over prayer), Jesus praises Mary for choosing "that good part," and as the Teacher He tells Martha that it "will not be taken from her."  He firmly asserts that Mary has chosen what is, in fact, "the one thing needed," giving us all the priority for our lives.  Salvation, in this understanding, does not come secondary to anything else.  In this Mary also figures as a disciple, even as she sits with the others, for they have already been instructed in the priorities of discipleship and the work of the Kingdom (Luke 9:57-62).  Although she is a woman, and one not inclined to outward expression but of contemplative mind, Mary seated among the disciples is a message to us about discipleship, and even how we serve.  Some serve who learn at His feet, who grow in God's love, who follow their faith as grace is offered to them.