PRIORITIES for TODAY
Fr Donald Bird
St Luke Ch. lO; vv37-42
I knew a Bishop once who maintained that. among other things he was a national expert on sausage rolls. He was also a good pastor and no mean theologian. Wherever he went there was a ‘do’ afterwards with a goodly selection of sausage rolls and cucumber sandwiches. There was even a comment about this in a parish magazine which read ‘after the service the Bishop went among the people eating their sandwiches’.
Martha rules OK. It was ever thus. Funeral eulogies go on about the late lamented who worked very hard for the parish. They may have been fervent in prayer, always being present at the early weekday Mass. The hard work is what is remembered. The exceptions are remembered. A member of my parish in Yorkshire died earlier this year and the one thing I remember was that he came across as a man of prayer. But most of us are remembered by what we did rather than what we were. This was brought home to me when I was a chaplain in the army; I was expected to be present at an exercise deep in the African bush. I was given a map reference and time of arrival. The fact that I was there on time was remembered long after any eloquent sermons I may have preached.. We play bridge in the local Methodist Church Hail.The notice boards are full of information on everything from Bridge to art classes via brownies and woodwork. There is one small notice about Bible study. They will say that the Church serves the community and the hall provides funds. All very true, but I fear that the wood may be lost for the trees.. Fund raising is important; if we have a roof it has to be kept on. But much of it becomes an end in itself. Bells are a good example. Much time, money and effort is spent in restoring bells. Their purpose is to call people to worship. In fact they become a hobby for the few who like change ringing. At times the departing ringers may sweep the latecomers off their feet.
Nowhere in this passage does Jesus suggest that Martha’s job is not necessary, rather that Mary has chosen the better part. He was there is teach the way, the truth and the life. Space was needed, people need some encouragement to come. In this climate they need to be kept dry and warm. Martha has a role, but it must be kept in proportion. The trouble is we have too much room, much of it, and resources are tied up in keeping the roof up. Where you have ancient buildings of medieval origin, they must be preserved as national treasures. So we are told. If used at all they are only used one hour a week. The work of the church could be done so much better with fewer buildings. The problem is no one can agree on which. It was easy in the army. The Battalion needed a chapel, so the army provided one, It was then up to the people to decide who used it and when. We Anglicans kicked off, followed by the Roman Catholics, then the Methodists, then Presbyterians and Salvation Army. There were about six different services. In cold weather some folk stayed for the lot! That was one way, the truth may have been lost in a cacophony of noise. The place was certainly alive..
Jesus was concerned that folk were fed. There are two accounts in the New Testament where there were “do’s”; on one occasion 5,000 were fed, on another 4,000. Folk may say it doesn’t happen like that. Doesn’t it? We call it bring and share. And we have to ask folk to take food home in the doggie bag. The story of Martha and Mary is all about getting priorities right. We are in business to proclaim the Gospel and to pass that faith on to subsequent generations as we received it, not as we might wish it to appear. We must not allow details, be they to do with catering, churchmanship or fundraising to get in the way of this. They all have a part to play, but are but means to the end. Still less should we allow the latest fads to take over? Johnny come lately is a snare and delusion far more than the works of Martha. Martha was rebuked and told that Mary had chosen the better part, to listen to what the Lords was saying. That is just as important for you and I now as it was then.