Whenever I am preparing a meal for a special guest, I want to make sure all the details are correct. The white wine properly chilled and the red at room temperature. The oysters opened with a special gadget that does the job without getting the kitchen covered in blood. I try to remember to take the Brie out of the fridge well before the meal begins so that it is nice and runny for the cheese and biscuits. If I am serving a Prime Rib roast I have to leave enough time for it to “rest” after the end of the cooking time. And then crank the oven up to its highest temperature so that the Yorkshire Pudding rises properly. No opening of the door to check, as it will fall flat! Quite a few anxious moments as I juggle the pots and pans.
So I can understand the feelings of Martha in this morning’s Gospel. Luke says that she was “distracted by her many tasks”. And, to make matters worse, her sister Mary was sitting down in another room in conversation with the guest of honour. “She should be in here with me,” Martha must have thought, “doing the vegetables and stirring the soup”.
Some people look askance at Jesus’ remark about Mary having chosen the better part. It seems only fair that the kitchen tasks should be shared equally. However, Luke is making a theological point. Listening to the voice of Jesus is the way that Martha (and the rest of us) can cultivate our inner stillness. His voice cured Jairus’ daughter, stopped the raging storm on the Sea of Galilee and assured his listeners that God loved them so much it was as if he had counted every one of their hairs. Paying attention to that voice gives us strength, resilience and a sense of deep calm.
Fr. Neil Gray