Luke 10:38-42

"As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus 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."

When I was growing up and attending Catholic school, I found this reading to be a source of immense embarrassment. First of all, as soon as it was brought up, I would get knowing looks from everyone, if not jabs in the back. Second of all, Martha kind of gets her ass handed to her here. It's in a calm, Jesus-y way, but He's definitely telling her to chill with arranging the fig trays and come have a seat.

As I got older, I began to see this reading as a reminder not to take things so seriously. Martha is an arranger and a planner, and she's full of anxiety, and I can relate to these traits so well. It's good to be told to step back and remember what really matters.

Until this morning, though, I could never remember where this reading fell on the church calendar. As I sat in church, uncomfortably shifting in a pew far too hard for nine months pregnant me, I was delighted to discover that it falls on the eighth Sunday after Pentecost-- today.

The c-section is one week from tomorrow. To say that I'm being a Martha about it is an understatement-- it's been all worry and no joy around here as I've been gearing myself up to walk into that OR. And yet, as I listened to this passage, I got a glimpse of what it would be like to be a Mary about the situation. I'm pretty sure she'd be focusing on Silas, and on the incredible wonder of laying eyes on the son she's been nurturing from within for the better part of a year. She's such a reminder to take all the worry and anxiety I'm feeling and (as holy roller as it sounds) lay it at the Lord's feet. To be quiet and listen, and appreciate the gift I'm about to be given.

I'd like to thank that ancient Martha for being such a killjoy when God stopped by her house. As humiliating as it must have been to be dressed down by the Creator of the Universe, it's surely been helpful for the modern me. Despite how annoyed she no doubt felt to have been left with all the busy work, and all of the worries, sometimes all of that just needs to be laid aside for a while...though I hope Mary helped her with the dishes.