Martha Mode

When Robyn hired me to be her Program Assistant, the office was two-thirds of the way through the planning process for the "Will Our Faith Have Children?" conference. In seven months over 600 people would be descending on a Chicago suburb to participate, and there was a lot of work for me to do as one of the key logistics people involved in the planning and implementation of the event. However, Robyn told me that I would be able to hear the terrific keynoters, participate in worship, and perhaps attend a couple of the sessions.

We arrived a couple of days early to set up and be on site to greet speakers, guests and participants when they arrived. Once the conference started, there were all sorts of glitches to work out and details to follow up on. I was so busy that the hotel staff would chase me down and make sure I ate. By the second day of the conference it was quite clear that I would not be able to participate in any of it, and I had become quite frustrated.

At one point I had to run up to my room and grab a folder with some notes. When I got off the elevator I met one of the women--a nun--who had come to staff the Peace Village that was set up on the mezzanine of the second floor. She asked me how I was enjoying the conference. I explained that I had not participated in any of it, as I was too busy running around trying to make sure everything was running smoothly for the attendees. Some of my frustration must have leaked out--I am not always good at schooling my emotions. She took both my hands in hers and said, "Sometimes we have to be Martha, and this is just your turn." She gave me a smile and a silent blessing and then went on her way.

That simple statement put the whole conference--and my job--in a whole different perspective. Someone has to do the hospitality work in order for the Marys to be able to participate in the teaching and learning. Not that we should complain about it, just recognize that sometimes we have to do the work, and sometimes we get to listen and learn. Now whenever I am planning a meeting or conference, I tell Ruth-Ann, my current boss, "Okay, time to go into 'Martha Mode.'"

I have not been keeping track of the lectionary readings (today's can be found here), so the story from Luke caught me by surprise. Often when I hear or read it, my first reaction is to look at Jesus and say, "Excuse me? You think the food is just going to walk itself to the table? Or were you planning on repeating your little stunt at Cana? Do you honestly think these people are going to be able to concentrate on what you're saying if their stomachs are all grumbling from hunger?"

But, as someone said during today's "conversational sermon," Martha is doing the work grudgingly. And someone else added that work can be done prayerfully, or even be prayer. In other words, things have to be done, but they don't have to be done the way Martha was doing them.

Lois ended the sermon by leaving us with three questions and a small gift. The questions are:

What would my day be like if it began with sitting at the feet of Jesus?

What would I have to do/want to do in order to sit at the feet of Jesus before every decision? Before everything I did?

What can we--the church--do to help you?

And the gift? A simple phrase from the contemplative tradition:

Jesus, Son of God, have mercy.

Peace,
Jeffri