Choose the better part.

26May
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’
- Luke 10:38-42

The story of Mary and Martha is one that we might often hear, and might often breeze through knowing that we "already know" the message, and are ready to move about into the next thing that really needs our attention. And just like that, we realize and remember . . . dang it, we are actually being Martha all over again! It so easy, too easy to bypass what Jesus refers to in today's scripture passage as "the better part." 

As humans who use survival instincts to continue as a species, and then in more recent consumerism-driven society, we have developed a habit response to making choices. If we are offered options of anything, we instinctively look for which is better- even if it is ever so slightly.  

Think about the produce section at the market, looking for the best avocado, pineapple or watermelon... everyone has their little tricks and tips to help prevent remorse. We have rating systems on nearly everything digitally now, to help us make the best informed choice for getting the better part of whatever it is we want to bring into our life. 

But Jesus stops all of our Martha-ness, our inner sense of control that we know how to make the best choices for what needs to be tended to in our lives. He reminds us the only true option of better, is the option that brings one closest to the nearness of His holy presence. 

Jesus invites Martha to reconsider what she considers better. He encourages her to reconfigure what is worthy, recalculating to the direction of the one who loves her and the world more than his own self.

In today's meditation, we can hear Jesus asking us to remember to choose the better part. The part that can never be taken away, that is the courage and conviction to choose to be closer to him.  

The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington says in her new book, "How We Learn to Be Brave," that decisive moments are marking events. The scriptural telling of Mary and Martha is the story we need to hear often: that our decisions to choose the better parts are the moments that mark our spiritual journeys. And that Jesus is always ready to give us the better part, the fullness of his love whenever we bravely choose to come closer to receive it.

Musical Reflection - Stand by Me -Ben E. King

Dearest Jesus, help us to always choose the better part- which is you, who will never be taken away from us. Help us to choose to stand by you, bravely stepping away from all we mistakenly believe we need to do away from your presence. Amen.
Letting GoWomenGospel
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#mary #martha #jesus

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