Martha and Mary: Toward an Undivided Life

I am working on my sermon for this coming Sunday on the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10: 38-42. The polarity between Martha and her active life of serving and Mary's choice of listening to Jesus, describes one of the greatest paradoxes for many in seeking to live a faithful life: The active life and the contemplative life. Sometimes it just feels like a tug of war.

In the 4th century, one of the desert monastics, Abba Silvanus said, "Martha is necessary to Mary, for it was because Martha worked that Mary was able to be praised." That whole notion of the balance and inter-play between action and contemplation, between putting ourselves forward in service and then at times being passive and receptive, available to God's deep emotions within us, is all part of the rhythm of life, is all part of our being fully human.

Parker Palmer has been very helpful to me in both of his books,  The Active Life and A Hidden Wholeness.

Palmer quotes poet Mary Oliver: "This is the first, wildest, and wisest thing I know, that the soul exists, and that it is built entirely out of attention." It needs to be rooted, connected, and nourished if it is to thrive. Our revved up and distracting culture throws plenty of obstacles in the way of those who want to give focused attention to their souls."

I believe that Jesus was pointing to the integration of the whole person. He reveals the source of that integration as the choice to be with him, nurturing the inner life. That is our first calling. Stephen Covey calls it the "private victory" that empowers our effectiveness, the "public victory."

I pay a steep price when I live a divided life. And the people around me pay a  price as well. Wholeness does not mean perfection. It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life.

For me, I hear Jesus saying: "Rob, choose the better part - it endures and cannot be taken away from you."  It is the path to living with integrity rather than living a distracted, divided life, untethered from the true person God calls us to be.

What will it take? Courage.

For people whose vocation is serving others, courage is needed to persevere and be “whole-hearted” in the often overwhelming circumstances in which we are trying to make a difference—whether that be in the life of child, patient, congregation or community.

Be not afraid! Be fully alive!

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

Comments

[Fritz Edmunds]

Thank you, my friend.