A Celebration of Martha and Mary of Bethany

Prepared by Marie Cameron (Toowoomba, Australia)


We come together this evening to celebrate Martha and Mary of Bethany, whose feast day was yesterday, and to reflect on our hands, at work, at prayer and at rest.


Let us pray.

God of work and quietness
You know how busy we all are
How we rush around all day, DOING things,
Often becoming tired and irritable,
Sometimes wondering if there is any point to it all.
Help us to honour the work that we do,
Recognising that it is your work
And that our hands are your hands.
But help us also to hear Jesus’ call
To sit quietly and just BE
And listen to God speaking to us in the silence.
In Jesus’ name. Amen

Readings
Luke 10:38-42
John 11:17-29

Storytelling and Reflection

Intercessions and prayers

Meditation

Blessing

Hymns: Yahweh, I know you are near.
The Servant Song.
Will you love me (as I have loved you)?



Martha and Mary of Bethany

Long ago, in the early decades of our Common Era, there lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem, a prosperous family. The father was a merchant, and had made a good living trading in fine cloths and spices. There were three children: Martha, an energetic, outgoing, competent woman: Mary, quieter and more introverted, much given to reading and prayer; and Lazarus, who as the youngest child and only son was considerably spoilt by his parents and siblings.

Sadness came to this close and loving family when the parents decided to take a break from their labours at the seaside town of Joppa. A plague swept through the town, and the parents were among its victims. Without our modern medication, nothing could be done to save them.

After the mourning period was over, Martha assumed control of the household. She was a fine housekeeper, an excellent cook and a good manager of money. Guests in the house could be assured of outstanding hospitality and a delicious meal. Mary, meanwhile, became somewhat more withdrawn, deepening her prayerful relationship with God as she sought to assuage her grief.

In time, the family became very interested in a young man who was drawing crowds as he spoke about God’s domain and the sort of relationship with God which everyone could enjoy. They went to hear him speak, and were very impressed. So they were very excited when they heard he was coming to Bethany. Martha sent a servant to invite him to a meal, and Jesus accepted the invitation.

When Jesus and his friends arrived, they were greeted with great hospitality, and seated in the living room with a cool drink while Martha retreated to the kitchen to finish preparations for the meal. As she worked, she could hear that Mary, who was sitting on a cushion at Jesus’ feet, was asking Jesus questions and he was responding. She was desperate to be part of the discussion, for she wanted to learn from the Teacher, and she felt she was missing out. In the end, she stormed irritably into the living room and said, “Teacher, I need help in the kitchen. Tell Mary we can talk about all those issues after lunch, and that she should now come and help me serve it!”

Jesus smiled at Martha. “Hey, Martha, you’ve looked after us admirably. We’re comfortable and our thirst is quenched, and none of us is starving yet. We’re just in the middle of something quite interesting. Come and sit down and be part of the discussion! Lunch can wait for awhile. We’ll appreciate it more when we have it.” And he patted the sofa beside him.

Martha became so interested in what Jesus was saying that she did not notice the passing of time, and a conviction grew in her that this man was revealing God in a unique way. Finally, the discussion came to a finish, and the company arose and lunched well on the excellent meal Martha had prepared.

A few months later, another great sadness came to the family. Lazarus, the beloved brother, sickened and died. The grief-stricken sisters buried him, and many of their friends were around them to console him. A couple of days later, Martha heard that Jesus was coming, and leaving the house, she hurried to meet him. She said to him, “Teacher, if you had been here earlier, my brother would not have died! But I know that even now, the power of God in you can do great deeds”. Jesus told her that her brother would rise again, and that those who believed in him would live and never die. He asked her if she believed this. And Martha said, “Yes, Lord, I believe that God lives in you and shines forth from you, and that God’s power works through you.” (In saying this, she was the first, according to the Gospel of John, to affirm Jesus in this way.)

Greatly excited, Martha believed that Jesus could bring her brother Lazarus back to life. Her sister Mary was at home praying for Lazarus’ soul, and she did not want her to miss whatever was to happen. So she hurried home, and said to Mary, “Come with me, quickly! The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”

And so it was, when Martha and Mary returned to the tomb, that Jesus raised Lazarus and restored him to the arms of his sisters. And great was the celebration and rejoicing at the house in Bethany, and great was the faith of the family as they followed Jesus through the rest of his earthly life and to his death and resurrection.


Reflection Points

The need for both action and stillness
The need for work and for listening to God
Parallels between Martha and Peter
Balancing our lives - we need to be both Martha and Mary, and we need our faith deepened by reflecting quietly in God’s presence on our action and our experience.