I. Introduction

One thing I have noticed about our church is our love for hospitality. Considerable effort is involved in preparing the food and drinks for dinners, as well as in arranging the tables, and the level of creativity demonstrated is remarkable. I have had the privilege of visiting several of you in your homes, and I greatly appreciate the hospitality that has been extended to me. To invite people over for lunch or dinner does involve quite a bit of preparation. There is significant cleaning taking place at our house before guests arrive, and my husband, who typically cooks, is responsible for grocery shopping and preparing the food. By the end of the visit, we are both so tired! Does this sound familiar to you? Jesus emphasized hospitality as a key value for His disciples. Let's examine what He is teaching us on this topic.

II. Choose the Better Part, Jesus says.

Jesus instructed His disciples that upon entering someone's home, they should extend a greeting of peace, remain there, and accept the hospitality provided to them. On another occasion He encouraged them to invite the poor and the hungry to join them at their tables. Jesus Himself shared meals with His disciples as a way of fostering and building relationships.

Jesus enjoyed the friendships with those whom He met on the way. He especially had a close relationship with Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus. He would visit them, rest and enjoy their hospitality. We find Him at Martha and Mary's house in Bethany, where Martha prepares for their important guest, who is both their friend and Lord. Martha is busy and the text describes how she was fretting and fussing, because, according to her, Mary was "just sitting" there listening to Jesus upon His arrival. She appeared somewhat frustrated, possibly due to fatigue and her desire for everything to proceed smoothly. Her reaction to her sister sitting and not participating is understandable given the circumstances. At this point, she did not speak directly to her sister but instead brought her concern to Jesus, requesting that He address Mary's absence from helping in the kitchen. Jesus' reply to Martha is unexpected; He advises her regarding her concerns and preoccupations with many matters, emphasizing that Mary's decision to sit and listen to His teachings is preferable, as it represents a lasting choice that cannot be taken from her. While He must have appreciated the hospitality offered Him, He thought it was the right thing to do to help Martha understand what the priority was in that moment. He was not engaged in casual conversation but provided her sister with substantive spiritual instruction. Since she was attentively listening, he aimed to give her the necessary attention and adequately address any questions she might have had. But more, because Martha was so busy with the preparations, she was distracted by it and missed out on the important message He was conveying to Mary. He did not judge Martha but made her aware of what she was missing.

III. Conclusion

We all know how important it is to listen to someone when they are speaking. If we do not focus and listen, we will miss what they have to say, how they say it, and what their intent is. When we are distracted by other things, we will miss most of what the speaker is saying and for future purposes will misunderstand the person, and what their intentions are in our lives. In this situation, both individuals had a notable guest in their home, Jesus Christ. They both could have taken the opportunity to sit and listen to Him and potentially participated in preparing food while continuing the conversation. Jesus' teachings were important, and weren't meant to just listen to and absorb, but to act upon and carry it forth to others, to love and care, to be there for the poor and suffering, and more. Mary, therefore, says Jesus, made the better choice, and it could not be taken away from her. She would serve as a messenger, communicating the core of His message to others. Let the example of Martha and Mary's hospitality guide us as we gather, reminding us to focus on meaningful connection rather than becoming overly preoccupied with the details of our preparations. Let us also take the opportunity to share and listen to one another's personal spiritual experiences, reflecting on the various ways in which Christ may be present in our lives, how we have responded to these inspirations, and the positive impact our actions may have had on others. May our gatherings be a blessing for ourselves, and each other. Amen.