Jesus lays bare the heart of the gospel to Martha and to us. What is this one thing that is needed? So often we hear this passage being explained as a comparison of the contemplative life with that of the life of service. At first glance it appears that Jesus is telling Martha that Mary has chosen well. It may even appear that Mary has made the better choice. When we first enter this scene we find Martha welcoming Jesus, but quickly burdened with service while Mary remains listening. Is it jealousy that has caused Martha to ask Jesus to rebuke Mary? Perhaps the lesson is about welcoming and what is required of welcoming. Welcoming is a spirit of receiving another with joy and being present with them. In today’s reading we find Martha welcoming, but quickly turning her energy to service. Has she denied herself the moment of presence and in return been denied the peace and tranquility that it brings? Does she serve seeking reward and recognition instead of finding joy in her service?
This story is juxtaposed in an interesting place in Luke’s gospel. The reading before is the famous story of the Samaritan found beaten along the road, and the passage to follow is Jesus’ teaching on how to pray. Again this relationship between service and prayer is found. If we search for clues in the story of the Samaritan to the answer regarding the question, what is the one thing there is need of, then we find the answer to be love. Love of God and love of neighbor. If we look to the Lord’s prayer reading we find that askers and seekers and knockers are rewarded for their effort. Those that ask, and seek, and knock are rewarded what they are looking for. We find the assurance that good things are given those who seek good things. In between these two passages we find Mary at Jesus’ feet listening, and Martha busy at work serving. It is not the listening that Jesus honors anymore than Martha's service that he denounces. Jesus is no more honored by one listening at his feet, than one serving. Jesus merely is the witness, the observer who states what is obvious. His statement is not a judgement. It is a simple observation that Mary finds the better part. She has found what she has sought and Martha has not, or perhaps she also has. We are rewarded according to what we seek. Seek love and be rewarded with love. Seek peace and find peace. Deny yourself and you are denied.
The one thing that there is need of is love. Service in the spirit of love is equally as fulfilling and rewarding as contemplation and prayer in the spirit of love. It is by being present that we learn to love and find the grace to serve. In welcoming we become present. We sit at the feet and listen carefully. But that does not mean listening is better than service, only the attitude must be the same. Our service cannot be in a spirit of self-denial which makes us bitter. It would be better not to serve than to serve in such a spirit. Our service must be as fulfilling as our listening because it must feed us as fully. We do not serve for the benefit of others. We serve because we are in need of service. There is no separation for Jesus between our neighbor and between God. In Mathew's gospel Jesus tells us that the least we have done to our brothers and sisters we have done to him. It is not an act of denial that is required. There is no reward for self denial, only for love and the reward is the gift itself. It is in love that we experience the divine whether we are in service or we are listening. If we are not being fed and nourished, then it is time to sit at his feet and listen.
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