[Propertalk] Proper 11 c - part 1

[Robert P Morrison]

Part 1

	THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. ALBAN, ALBANY THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER
PENTECOST

	AMOS 8:1-12 PROPER 11 C

	COLOSSIANS 1:15-28 17th JULY, 2016

	LUKE 10:38-42 PSALM 52

	 Let’s not forget that Jesus, more often than not, dealt with very
basic issues.

	 Of course, we can tease out all sorts of meanings from the stories
we’ve been given. And the wonderful thing about these stories, the
reason they resonate with us so much, is that we can find something in
them for every generation. They speak to societies that continue to
evolve. They offer a new and, we hope, a helpful perspective even on
the social media and the twenty-first century technology with which we
wrestle.

	 But, as I mentioned last week, if we don’t consider the context in
which the stories were heard for the first time, then we lose the
modern as well as the original application.

	 So – of Jesus’ Wisdom. Remember Paul Mary and Martha – they
were the sisters of Lazarus, yet he’s not mentioned, possibly
because he was not germane to the story.

	 Jesus and the disciples arrived at this village and Martha,
apparently immediately, offered hospitality.

	 I know things were different back then. Hospitality was serious
business, never to be neglected. Otherwise travellers could perish. So
Martha had, possibly, as many as thirteen, maybe even more, over for
dinner. Then that situation with Mary popped up.

	Somehow, Martha became distracted by her sister’s behaviour. She
“asked Jesus to send Mary into the kitchen to help her. The point is
not Martha’s need for someone to peel the potatoes. In (this) Middle
Eastern cultural context, Martha is more naturally understood to be
upset over the fact that her ‘little sister’ is seated with the
men and has become a disciple of Rabbi Jesus.” 1

	 I think we’re more inclined to think of the potatoes. After all,
if you have a whole bunch of hungry guests, even if it’s only one
guest, you’re going to need to alter the meal menu radically. It’s
wouldn’t be out of line at all to send someone over to DariMart to
pick up potatoes, milk, who knows what else.

	 But remember who provides us with this story. It’s from Luke, the
compassionate reporter of the way Jesus reached out to the unusual
underdogs.

	 Here we have another, very plain example of Jesus blowing
society’s walls outward in order to accommodate and encourage
others, especially those who’d never stand a chance to get a look in
when the invitations to God’s party are handed out.

	 Remember a couple of weeks ago when we heard Frederick Douglass’
description of the woman who’d fainted and had a vision of heaven?
Remember the question she was asked? “Did you see any black folks
there?” To which she replied, “Oh no! I didn’t go into the
kitchen!”

	 She knew her place. Thirteen plus folk over for dinner? You can bet
she’d be peeling potatoes and shucking corn for hours, and quite
likely would barely hear what any of the guests were talking about.

	 Except, Mary was there, right there where she could find the
greatest nuggets and nuances of Jesus’ Wisdom. Remember Paul –
“brought up … at the feet of Gamaliel”? 2 And, remember, it was
Luke who wrote about that too!

	 Any serious student clung, sometimes literally, clung to the feet of
the teacher, listening to every last word that was spoken. And, all
the while, Martha would probably be thinking, “This is disgraceful!
What will happen to us! My sister has joined this band of men. What
will the neighbours say? What will the family think? After this, who
will marry her? This is too much to expect.” 3

	 There’s a fascinating trilogy of books which I read some time ago.
The overall title is “Rashi’s Daughters”. 4 Rashi was the
rabbinic name of Salomon ben Isaac who was born in Troyes, Frances, in
1040. He and Rivka, his wife, had three daughters, Johaved, Miriam and
Rachel. The novels are historically accurate, based on documented
facts. Rashi wrote the first Talmud

	commentary and ran a Talmudic school which attracted students from
all over Europe. Of course, Jehoved and her sisters were supposed to
know how to peel potatoes, and stretch the contents of the larder when
times were tough. But they had no place in school of any sort. For an
eleventh-century Jewish woman – for ANY woman! – knowledge was
dangerous.

	 Rashi took matters into his own hands, however, and taught his three
daughters to the extent that they became so skilled in Talmudic
interpretation and argument that they bested most of the students in
the school.

	 A thousand years after Jesus’ earthly life, and very little had
changed. Women were still potato peelers.

	 Is this why the glass ceiling exists today?

	 However, to one person what appears as a ceiling appears t someone
else as a floor, and both ceilings and floors are defined by the
walls. When Jesus addressed Martha’s distraction – note, it was a
distraction, NOT a burden – when Jesus addressed Martha’s
distraction and worry He did it in such a way as to help her deal with
fear – possibly fear for the safety and security of family as well
as herself. Jesus said that no fear should be allowed to compromise
any relationship between individuals, groups or nations. In talking
about Mary being allowed to keep her place as Jesus’ pupil, Jesus is
defending the right of everyone to engage in whatever each wishes to
be – whether it be rabbinic student, or artist, or technician, or
– well, nothing is off limits now. Not only does Jesus push back the
walls of society, He does away with floors and ceilings. He brings the
Good News of equality of treatment, or equality of justice, or
equality of relationships. No one is placed in a box. Everyone may
come and go as each desires, and when that happens, there is no need
to fear, no need for jealousies, no need for rivalries.
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