[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 11C

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: 



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From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Tue, Jul 12, 2016 10:04 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 11C



Dear Friends,
 
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Who Does She ThinkShe Is!?” or “Be All that You Can Be”  anddeals with the Gospel (Luke 10:38-42). Here it is: 
 
This morning, we heard theextremely familiar episode of the words between Mary and Martha when Jesusspent time in their home as a dinner guest. I’m sure you’ve heard sermons about service (emphasis on Martha) and contemplation-spending time with Jesus (emphasis on Mary). I thought about focusing on priorities- God first (Mary), then service(Martha).  Let’s examine the Biblicalaccount to see what other wisdom we can draw from this situation.
 
Martha’s name meant“mistress of the house,” and in this story she really lived up to hername.  The episode actually probablybegan in Martha’s head.  She was mostcertainly delighted when Jesus accepted their dinner invitation, and she reallywanted this meal to be perfect!  I’m sureshe planned dish after dish to impress and delight the Master.  I’m also sure that Mary helped in the kitchenwith the preparations- until- that is UNTIL Jesus actually came to the door andstarted teaching the men.  Mary’s namemeans “rebellion,” and she really lived up to her name in this story.  Mary probably heard a little bit of the men’sconversation and then did something no woman of that day would ever have daredto do- sit at his feet like a disciple, listen to him, and ask him questions.  Do you remember the bumper sticker from manyyears back: “A woman’s place is in the house---of bishops.”  People in that culture really believed thefirst six words.  Women, as well aschildren, were to barely be seen, but certainly not heard, and women reallybelonged in the kitchen and the bedroom- period.  In fact, two common quotations from rabbis ofthat period point this out: “It is better to burn the Torah (first five booksof the Bible) than to teach it to a woman,” and “it is better to teach a daughterto be a prostitute than to teach her the Torah!”  You’ve heard the statement: “Knowledge ispower.”  Here’s just one more example ofthe truth of that statement- just as in slavery times, it was illegal to teacha slave to read, so here in Jesus’ time educating a woman was simply not done.  Young people- get your education- “KnowledgeIS power!”  
 
Now, back to thestory.....Martha watched her sister’s behavior with horror- this simply was notdone.  Besides, her family would be thetalk of the town.  She’d probably never livedown this latest behavior of her little sister. She went to Jesus and complained- she was doing all the work and Marywas shirking her responsibility.  NoticeJesus’ answer: Martha, Martha (her name called two times- pay attention!), youworry too much.  Only one thing (i.e.-one dish) is enough.  Put first thingsfirst- ME.  Listen to ME, no matter whatyour culture says.  Mary has chosen thebest part- ME, and I’m not sending her away. To Martha’s credit, we don’t hear about her saying, “O.K.- I won’t worryabout feeding anyone,” and then waiting until the guests’ stomachs start togrowl!
 
That’s what happened.  That’s all we know.  We really don’t know what Martha didnext.  We do know, however, that on thedeath of her brother Lazarus (John 11: 27) she made the same confession of faith that Peter did- “Jesus isthe Messiah, the Son of the living God.” True to their culture (and ours) Peter gets all the credit and herstatement is usually overlooked.
 
I see two life-lessons forus in this episode.  First- watch yourattitude!  Look at Martha’sattitude.  Did you hear the story of theman who was in the express lane at the store quietly fuming?  Completely ignoring the sign, the woman aheadof him had slipped into the check-out line pushing a cart piled high with groceries.  Imagine his delight when the cashier beckonedthe woman to come forward, looked into the cart and asked sweetly, “So, whichsix items would you like to buy?”  Ourresentment doesn’t usually get taken care of as easily as that, and neither didMartha’s.  She resents Mary’s supposedlaziness.  She resents her sitting atJesus’ feet.  She resents her making alaughing-stock of their family by her behavior. My friends, resentment doesn’t work- it will poison our souls and makeus bitter people.  Watch for thesethoughts: “She owes me!  He could atleast apologize!”  The person who istreating us this way either doesn’t know or doesn’t care.  Tell them politely (don’t let them pull youdown to their level) and then give it to God. St. Paulhad advice on how to deal with such situations in Ephesians (4: 26-27, 29-30a, 31-32): “Don't getso angry that you sin.  Don't go to bedangry and don't give the devil a chance.....Do not use harmful words, but onlyhelpful words.  Say the right thing atthe right time and help others by what you say. Don't make God's Spirit sad.  Stopbeing bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curseeach other or ever be rude.  Instead, bekind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because ofChrist.”  In other words- drop it; don’tinvolve others; work it out; pray it out; don’t give the Devil his due.  Fr. Bill shared a trick with me that he haspersonally used for years- write down what (or more likely who) you’re mad at,scrunch it up, and throw it into the waste basket.  There- it’s done.
 
The second life-lesson:don’t let our culture force you in its mold. Break the mold.  Be all that youcan be.  Like Mary, claim your right as adaughter or son of the King, so don’t believe the messages that say you can’tor it won’t work.   You are not too darkor too light, too tall or too short, too male or too female, too old or tooyoung, too fat or too thin.  You are nottoo anything.  You were created JUSTRIGHT for who God intended you to be.  Godmade you JUST THE WAY HE WANTED YOU, so don’t disrespect your creator.  God’s got a “Kingdom puzzle” and He knowsjust where He wants you in it.  With God,all things are possible.  If God wants itand you will work for it, you can do it. Here’s an example of a real sadness in my life that happens all toooften.  Fr. Bill and I would go out tolunch frequently, and one of our favorite waitresses was a woman in her mid-forties.  When we first started going to thatrestaurant, she recognized me as her former sixth grade teacher.  We talked a bit, and I asked her about herlife.  I remember her as a brilliantsixth grade student- one of the smartest young people in her class.  Now here she is barely making it, waitingtables, working two jobs.  Another verysmart student, safety-patrol captain, about the same age- was bussing tables inthe same restaurant- glad to get a job after a prison term for sellingdope.  Don’t get me wrong- there’snothing the matter with waiting or bussing tables- all good, honest work, butmaybe God intended (or intends- they’re not too old) for one of them to be thefirst woman president or the second Black president or to discover the cure forAIDS or cancer, but they believed the messages of our society and limitedthemselves.  They are not being all thatthey can be, and our society and their own children are the poorer for it.
 
So- from Martha- watch yourattitude.  From Mary- don’t let ourculture force you into its mold.  May Godbless us with the power and grace to continually, day by day, be all that wecan be for His sake.  Amen.
 
For anyone who isinterested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements areposted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
 
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

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