THE DAY JESUS
WALKED AWAY HUNGRY

[This is a story I always wanted to write – and that “want to” hits me every year when we come to July 29th, the feast of St. Martha. So this morning I said, “Do it!” So here it is: a first draft story that I’m sure those here, especially women, think about whenever they hear this gospel text, Luke 10:38-42.]

Once upon a time, Jesus dropped into the house of two friends of his: Mary and Martha. He had been there many times before – and each time he really enjoyed the visit.

It was good to get away from his disciples – all these men. They could be so petty and so stupid. They were always trying to be up front, right next to him, first and foremost, whenever he was telling a parable or teaching a teaching – which they usually didn’t get – until at least the tenth time he told one of his favorite stories.

But Mary and Martha were different. Jesus liked women. Mary was a great listener; Martha was a great cook.

But this time Martha was sitting there waiting for Jesus – wearing her Sabbath best. And there was Mary – wondering, “What’s going on with Martha? She’s usually waiting for Jesus at the door with an apron and a smile.”

Jesus called from outside, “Mary. Martha!”

He always put Mary’s name first. Mary noticed that. Martha also noticed that – and it irked her at times. Jealousy could be rather sneaky – creeping around our mind making various inner innuendos.

Martha knew the way to a man’s heart was his stomach. Mary knew the way to a man’s heart was listening to his stories.

Jesus sat down. Mary and Martha were also sitting. Mary and Martha were all ears – but something was eating at Mary. She wanted Jesus all to herself.

Time ticked on. Jesus and Mary both became both anxious and worried. Mary’s face became twisted a bit – because her mind was wondering, “Did Martha order take-out’s and someone was going to deliver the food any minute now?” “Did Martha forget that Jesus was coming?” “No,” she said to herself, “she’s all dressed up and was talking about his coming to see them for three days now.”

Jesus kept wondering: “What’s Martha doing in here? How come she’s not in the kitchen cooking – cooking up her best stuff?”

Jesus’ words weren’t flowing – because he kept wondering, “Where’s the food?” Jesus sniffed a few times – trying to get a scent of some kind of food - somewhere.

Martha was watching everything. She knew what she was cooking up this time. Mary wasn’t getting it. Jesus wasn’t getting it. Martha got it.

Well, after about two hours of chat as they sat – much of which was blurts – and stories about his busyness – Jesus said, “I better get back to the boys. They’ll be wondering where I am.”

As Jesus walked away from Mary and Martha’s house – his stomach was growling. He wished the stones along the side of the road were bread. He was hungry – more hungry than that time in the desert.

Suddenly, he stopped. Suddenly, he got it. Suddenly, he hit himself on his forehead and said out loud to himself, “Martha, Martha, you are smarter and wiser than all my disciples. Martha, Martha, that’s the last time I’ll say to you what I said the last time I was here, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.’”

He laughed and looked back at Martha and Mary’s house and yelled, “Martha, Martha, I was wrong, cooking is the better part.”

And Luke and John got it too – when they wrote about these two women. They both put Martha’s name first when telling their stories. [Cf. Luke 10:38-40; John 11: 19-27]



Painting on Top: Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, c. 1654-1655, Vermeer, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009