Action from Stillness
"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:38-42)
When one of the families in the little village of Bethany received Jesus and his disciples into their home, it became clear that there is a great difference between the "many things" (Luke 10:41) and the "one thing necessary" (v. 42). Martha, one of the women of the house, so completely occupied herself with so many duties (in the original text, diakonia, literally, charitable works or mission) that she couldn't sustain it and finally broke down in despairing complaint to Jesus.
But Mary, the sister of Martha, became still in the midst of performing tasks of hospitality so that she could concentrate on Jesus and sit as a disciple at the Master's feet.
All of us are usually looking up to and emulating constantly busy, dynamically active people. But Jesus sees and evaluates this condition in a different way. He plainly declares "Mary has chosen the better part." But how could choosing to withdraw into inactivity be the "better part", especially at a time when there were so many tasks to be done in their home? This is not about the exaltation of idleness, of fruitless contemplation, but rather about the question of why the busy man cannot stop. Why is concentrated stillness so foreign to him? Why is he always running? There is a need for diligent people in the duty of the "many things", well and good, until it is at the expense of the "one thing necessary". We burn ourselves up and out when Jesus speaking to us is not the most important thing.
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. And faith cannot live without works. Action flowing out of stillness doesn't spend us, doesn't make us dead tired and constantly complaining. The gift of the Spirit is this radical moderation.
[PV, 2008]
When one of the families in the little village of Bethany received Jesus and his disciples into their home, it became clear that there is a great difference between the "many things" (Luke 10:41) and the "one thing necessary" (v. 42). Martha, one of the women of the house, so completely occupied herself with so many duties (in the original text, diakonia, literally, charitable works or mission) that she couldn't sustain it and finally broke down in despairing complaint to Jesus.
But Mary, the sister of Martha, became still in the midst of performing tasks of hospitality so that she could concentrate on Jesus and sit as a disciple at the Master's feet.
All of us are usually looking up to and emulating constantly busy, dynamically active people. But Jesus sees and evaluates this condition in a different way. He plainly declares "Mary has chosen the better part." But how could choosing to withdraw into inactivity be the "better part", especially at a time when there were so many tasks to be done in their home? This is not about the exaltation of idleness, of fruitless contemplation, but rather about the question of why the busy man cannot stop. Why is concentrated stillness so foreign to him? Why is he always running? There is a need for diligent people in the duty of the "many things", well and good, until it is at the expense of the "one thing necessary". We burn ourselves up and out when Jesus speaking to us is not the most important thing.
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. And faith cannot live without works. Action flowing out of stillness doesn't spend us, doesn't make us dead tired and constantly complaining. The gift of the Spirit is this radical moderation.
[PV, 2008]
posted by CS at 1:33 PM
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