Mary and Martha
…Silvanus said, “I think Mary always needs Martha, and by Martha’s help Mary is praised.”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
Tag: Martha
Sunday Lectionary: Welcoming the Lord
The readings in this Sunday’s Lectionary speak to us of hospitality.
In the First Reading we hear recounted Abraham’s reception of the three strangers to whom he offers his choicest food. In the Gospel we hear another story about the hospitality offered to Jesus in the house of Martha and Mary, the two sisters whose brother, Lazarus, Jesus had raised from the dead (John 11).
The Gospel this week is as follows:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:-28-42