A Reflection on Mary and Martha

Mary and Martha, the two sisters of Lazarus, loved the Lord Jesus with all their heart and ministered to Him. From the gospels it is clear that Jesus also loved this little family and treasured His moments with them. It was this Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead as a sign of the universal resurrection to come. After this sign, Jesus came into their home for a meal, and sat teaching all those present while Martha went about the business of preparing the food and serving. Much distracted by all the work, and resentful that her sister Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him instead of sharing her burden, Martha suddenly blurted out to Jesus, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me”. And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled by many things. But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

While some may take Jesus’ words as a rebuke of Martha, I personally never understood them in that way. For one thing, it is hard for me to imagine Jesus doing anything to humiliate His friend in front of her family and everyone else present. It is likely His words were filled with kindness and love, and like the flipping of a light switch, suddenly brought to Martha the understanding and perspective she needed at that moment. Furthermore, although we are not told of her reaction, I rather doubt that she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room in a huff, to spend the next half-hour angrily banging pots and pans around in the kitchen! In my mind’s eye I can see her nodding her head in submission to the Lord and taking her place beside Mary, perhaps exchanging a smile and a warm squeeze of the hand with her as the two sat together listening to the remainder of the Lord’s teaching. When Jesus had finished, it is almost certain that the two sisters arose and went out to the kitchen together to complete the serving and to tend to their guests.

When Jesus spoke to Martha of “the one thing needful,” did He mean to say that there is never a place for service and good works? Certainly not! After ministering to them by the teaching of His word, Jesus then had the need to be ministered to Himself by the loving labors of these two women. We might even say that Mary and Martha are the two sisters representing devotion and good works that must live within the heart of every true Christian. As St. Ephraim the Syrian one wrote, “Blessed is he who with all reverence, like Mary, remains at the Lord’s feet (in prayer), and, like Martha, hastens to receive the Lord and Savior (with good works).”

In truth, both things are needful. A life spent only in an abstract reflection upon the word of God but never in the living out of it, is a life that profits little. Similarly, should we only live as “the busy bee,” constantly doing all the behind the scenes work of life or even of the parish, but seldom taking the time to sit quietly at the Lord’s feet and allow ourselves to be ministered to by Him, our Christian lives will remain empty of the one thing that gives them meaning in the first place.

Blessed are the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and blessed is the Christian who welcomes them both into his or her heart! May the prayers and intercessions of these two sister-saints beloved of Christ move us to imitate them both, and lead us toward the devotion and good works that represent the fullness of our life in Christ.

To God be all glory, honor, and worship. Amen.