WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.100 Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and from the Lord Jesus 2 00:00:05.100 --> 00:00:05.800 Christ. 3 00:00:06.100 --> 00:00:06.600 Amen. 4 00:00:06.800 --> 00:00:07.500 Be seated. 5 00:00:12.100 --> 00:00:16.800 This last semester I got to teach Homiletics 1. 6 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:23.500 For those of you that are new here or don't know Homiletics 1 is 7 00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:26.400 the introductory course on preaching. 8 00:00:27.700 --> 00:00:29.200 Don't worry as a history Prof. 9 00:00:29.200 --> 00:00:30.500 I had to look it up too. 10 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:39.500 As many of you know, Hom 1 often assigns texts from The Sundays, 11 00:00:39.500 --> 00:00:44.900 after Pentecost, what the lectionary calls the ordinary time. 12 00:00:45.800 --> 00:00:49.300 So that students could perhaps preach one of them in the summer. 13 00:00:51.100 --> 00:00:57.500 This reading Luke 10, the story of Mary and Martha was the text 14 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:00.000 assigned for our first sermon. 15 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:07.200 And because it was the first sermon we took everything very slowly. 16 00:01:08.300 --> 00:01:16.200 For five weeks we read and reflected on this text. By the end 17 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:22.500 this text became very familiar to us this reading from ordinary time 18 00:01:22.500 --> 00:01:24.100 became extraordinary. 19 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:32.600 No doubt you all know this text very well, just as you know, the 20 00:01:32.600 --> 00:01:36.100 other stories of Mary and Martha in the gospels. 21 00:01:36.300 --> 00:01:40.000 There's this one, of course, where Martha busies herself with the 22 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:46.500 tasks of a host while Mary sits at Jesus feet. And then there's the 23 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:51.900 story of Lazarus which comes to us in the Gospel of John. Lazarus, who 24 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:54.200 is the brother of Mary and Martha 25 00:01:55.100 --> 00:01:59.200 who dies and then is raised to life by Jesus. 26 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:06.300 And then there is a final story, which also comes to us in John and it 27 00:02:06.300 --> 00:02:09.699 recounts not only Mary sitting at Jesus feet. 28 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:16.300 But anointing his feet with costly perfume and wiping it with her 29 00:02:16.300 --> 00:02:16.800 hair. 30 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:24.400 But I have a feeling that this story, the one of Mary and Martha in 31 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:29.200 our text even if you haven't studied it for 5 weeks, straight is 32 00:02:29.200 --> 00:02:30.900 probably the most familiar. 33 00:02:32.600 --> 00:02:34.800 From a homiletical standpoint 34 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.000 it's not difficult to glean with whom 35 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:42.800 we should want to identify. Martha is anxious and busy with many 36 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:43.300 things. 37 00:02:43.300 --> 00:02:48.300 But Mary Mary, she has chosen the good portion 38 00:02:49.700 --> 00:02:51.200 the one thing needful. 39 00:02:52.600 --> 00:02:54.900 Mary is commended by Jesus. 40 00:02:55.700 --> 00:02:59.800 Martha is reprimanded. Mary's choice 41 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:03.400 Is the right one, so it's simple. 42 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:06.100 Don't be like Martha. 43 00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:08.800 Be like, Mary. 44 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:13.600 But really what does that mean? 45 00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:21.900 Is being like Mary just spending more time doing devotions or going to 46 00:03:21.900 --> 00:03:23.800 church or reading the Bible. 47 00:03:25.300 --> 00:03:28.900 You know, for centuries, the monastic tradition argued that they were 48 00:03:28.900 --> 00:03:31.200 the ones who were following. 49 00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:38.700 Mary's example, the Vita contemplative, the contemplative life. 50 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:45.700 You may think that studying at the Seminary or being a pastor is 51 00:03:45.700 --> 00:03:51.500 following Mary's example, although I'm pretty sure Mary wasn't parsing 52 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:55.800 verbs or analyzing Jesus syntax. 53 00:03:57.700 --> 00:04:01.400 Or what is it to avoid the mistakes of Martha? 54 00:04:02.100 --> 00:04:07.200 Is it just a reordering of our priorities or keeping ourselves less 55 00:04:07.200 --> 00:04:09.700 occupied with the rat race of life? 56 00:04:09.700 --> 00:04:12.000 Is it mindfulness versus manic? 57 00:04:12.200 --> 00:04:14.900 Is it balance of versus busyness? 58 00:04:16.500 --> 00:04:19.100 What is the problem here? 59 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:21.100 And what is the virtue? 60 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:24.600 Consider what Martha is doing. 61 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:32.900 Isn't she carrying out her vocation showing hospitality to her guests? 62 00:04:34.300 --> 00:04:38.200 Hospitality was an exceedingly important virtue in the ancient near 63 00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:44.600 East. For example, think about that story of Abraham and Sarah and how 64 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:48.600 they treated these strangers, who came by their tent at The Oaks of 65 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:49.200 Mamre. 66 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:53.100 Abraham sees the three men and runs out to them 67 00:04:53.100 --> 00:04:55.800 and he bows down with his face to the ground. 68 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:59.500 If I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 69 00:04:59.700 --> 00:05:03.800 Let us bring a little water so your feet can be washed. Rest yourselves 70 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.700 under this tree and will bring a morsel of bread and then you can go. 71 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.900 And then in a flurry active activity, Abraham runs into the tent and 72 00:05:13.900 --> 00:05:17.200 shouts out Sarah make cakes. 73 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:25.300 And then they prepare a calf and curds and milk veal cream cake. 74 00:05:26.100 --> 00:05:26.700 Entertaining 75 00:05:26.700 --> 00:05:28.900 guests serious business in the Bible. 76 00:05:30.400 --> 00:05:33.000 And what's more for a Christian 77 00:05:34.700 --> 00:05:39.000 hospitality is regarded as one of the most tangible expressions of 78 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:42.200 love. Repeatedly in the New Testament 79 00:05:42.900 --> 00:05:48.100 we are urged to welcome the stranger to be hospitable to one 80 00:05:48.100 --> 00:05:53.100 another. Who knows says, one passage you might even entertain Angels 81 00:05:53.300 --> 00:05:55.500 like Abraham and Sarah did. 82 00:05:55.700 --> 00:05:59.800 As God has welcomed us even though estranged from him by 83 00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:00.500 Sin, 84 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:04.400 we also ought to open our homes and lives to others. 85 00:06:04.700 --> 00:06:11.900 So, here is Martha welcoming guests. Welcoming Jesus and his disciples 86 00:06:11.900 --> 00:06:14.900 into her home. Providing for their needs. 87 00:06:14.900 --> 00:06:18.500 Treating them with the kind of hospitality that typifies 88 00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:20.900 a faithful daughter of Israel. 89 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:23.100 She is a model 90 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:31.400 of vocational fidelity. Someone who uses her gifts to serve others and 91 00:06:31.400 --> 00:06:37.100 didn't Jesus called his disciples to serve, rather than be served. 92 00:06:38.900 --> 00:06:45.400 And don't you think that Martha actually wants to be able to sit for a 93 00:06:45.400 --> 00:06:48.500 second and listen to Jesus too? 94 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:53.900 But she has to give that up in order that her guests are cared for. 95 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:54.600 That 96 00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:55.800 no one goes hungry. 97 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:03.900 Shouldn't we both admire Martha and have some sympathy for her? 98 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:09.800 But instead we generally make Martha into the patron saint of the 99 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:12.800 work weary. Multitasking 100 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:19.000 frenetic existence that exemplifies our modern life. She has become 101 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:19.400 for us 102 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:23.800 an image of the distracted life always answering emails. 103 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:27.800 Always responding to texts. Always checking the weather or the news or 104 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:29.200 status updates. 105 00:07:30.400 --> 00:07:32.700 Which then makes her sister Mary what? 106 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:39.800 The epitome of the unplugged life, a listener, rather than a doer. 107 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:45.700 One, who is in the moment, letting go and letting God. 108 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:54.300 But isn't Mary, the one who is committing, the great transgression 109 00:07:54.300 --> 00:08:00.700 here? Martha strives to serve faithfully, but Mary has abandoned her 110 00:08:00.700 --> 00:08:02.200 responsibilities as a host. 111 00:08:02.200 --> 00:08:08.400 She acts irresponsible and even offensively. As a woman in her cultural 112 00:08:08.400 --> 00:08:09.200 context 113 00:08:09.200 --> 00:08:12.500 only men were allowed to sit at the feet of a rabbi. 114 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:17.600 Mary's actions would have been seen as conceded at best and 115 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:18.100 disrespectful 116 00:08:18.700 --> 00:08:20.600 and impious at worst. 117 00:08:24.400 --> 00:08:25.600 But Mary doesn't care. 118 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:30.000 She risks the contempt of others. 119 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:32.600 Indeed, she risks everything. 120 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:38.200 Because of the one who sits in her house. 121 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:46.500 See the difference between Mary and Martha is not just the difference 122 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:51.800 between listening and doing, between serving and learning, between 123 00:08:51.800 --> 00:08:53.100 resting and working. 124 00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:55.400 The difference 125 00:08:56.300 --> 00:08:59.800 is that Mary sees what Martha 126 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:00.700 does not. 127 00:09:02.300 --> 00:09:10.000 Mary knows who sits before her. She recognizes, who it is, who has 128 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:11.300 come into her home. 129 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:13.800 The promised Christ is here. 130 00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:18.900 The one thing needful and the hope of the world has come and nothing 131 00:09:18.900 --> 00:09:20.000 else matters. 132 00:09:21.800 --> 00:09:26.900 Earlier, Jesus sent out 72 disciples in pairs to go into every town 133 00:09:26.900 --> 00:09:31.200 and place where he was about to go to preach that the kingdom of God 134 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.100 was near as a preparation for his arrival. 135 00:09:34.400 --> 00:09:37.800 It seems quite likely that Mary and Martha had welcomed these 136 00:09:37.800 --> 00:09:41.800 disciples earlier and that they had heard their message. 137 00:09:41.900 --> 00:09:45.800 And now, the one announced had arrived. 138 00:09:46.900 --> 00:09:48.200 And who is this one? 139 00:09:49.800 --> 00:09:54.700 Well, this is the one who read from the scroll of Isaiah, the spirit 140 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:58.700 of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good 141 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:03.200 news to the poor. To Proclaim liberty to the captives and sight to the 142 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:06.500 Blind, and to free the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the 143 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:07.800 Lord's favor. 144 00:10:08.900 --> 00:10:11.700 This is the one who cast out demons. 145 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:19.900 Who healed the leper and the lame. Who declared forgiveness, as only 146 00:10:19.900 --> 00:10:21.300 God can forgive. 147 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:25.100 This one is the lord of the Sabbath. 148 00:10:25.800 --> 00:10:27.200 He is the bridegroom 149 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:31.900 who's in his presence fasting is put to an end, and mourning and 150 00:10:31.900 --> 00:10:33.100 sorrow dies. 151 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:36.700 When this one comes under your roof 152 00:10:38.400 --> 00:10:42.400 do you really busy yourself with the ordinary task of whipping 153 00:10:42.400 --> 00:10:43.500 mashed potatoes? 154 00:10:44.900 --> 00:10:50.400 Or do you fall to the ground in awe and gratitude? 155 00:10:52.300 --> 00:10:58.700 Mary saw in the presence of Jesus that God had come to visit his 156 00:10:58.700 --> 00:10:59.300 people. 157 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:05.800 So, what does it take to see like, Mary? 158 00:11:07.500 --> 00:11:12.500 Our modern culture of celebrities and movie stars, we see things all 159 00:11:12.500 --> 00:11:16.500 the time and were dazzled by the bright smiles and the red carpets and 160 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:18.100 the sequin dresses. 161 00:11:18.100 --> 00:11:21.300 But these are really just ordinary things. 162 00:11:21.300 --> 00:11:27.900 We live in a world that spins and whirs and downloads and tweets. 163 00:11:27.900 --> 00:11:32.400 And we wring our hands and we make our plans and dream and hope of 164 00:11:32.400 --> 00:11:37.500 mundane matters and petty prizes and all the while the kingdom of 165 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:44.000 God has come near in Jesus who has promised no less than our 166 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:49.700 resurrection and a life that is bright and splendid and eternal. 167 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:56.200 A couple of weeks ago, I gave a workshop on the writings of CS Lewis 168 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:59.800 and we spent some time looking at his famous 169 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:05.300 essay "The Weight of Glory" and there he puts his finger right on this. 170 00:12:05.300 --> 00:12:12.000 When he writes, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and 171 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:17.100 the staggering nature of what is promised in the Gospels, it would 172 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:21.000 seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong 173 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.400 but two week. We are half-hearted creatures 174 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.400 fooling about with drink and sex and ambition. 175 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:35.200 When infinite joy is offered us. Like an ignorant child who wants to go 176 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:35.400 on 177 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.100 making mud pies in a slum because he can't 178 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:38.500 imagine 179 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:41.900 what is meant by a holiday at the sea. 180 00:12:42.800 --> 00:12:46.300 We are too easily pleased. 181 00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:53.000 Sometimes I think this is true even of us as Christians. 182 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:57.500 So often we are anxious about small things. 183 00:12:58.300 --> 00:13:03.500 We occupy our hearts and desires with a disenchanted world of taxes 184 00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:08.400 and tests and rising gas prices and plummeting stock markets of 185 00:13:08.400 --> 00:13:13.000 upcoming projects, and missed goals and of a faith that will just get 186 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.200 us through the week. When we are given a faith that will raise us 187 00:13:17.400 --> 00:13:19.800 up to everlasting life. 188 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:23.700 Our treasures here are fleeting and temporary. 189 00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:29.000 When all the wild God's word promises us a paradise imperishable. 190 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:37.100 It would seem however, that Mary not only saw the treasure that was 191 00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:37.900 Jesus 192 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:40.800 but also the cost. 193 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:45.600 Jesus was set for Jerusalem. 194 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:48.600 And he told his disciples 195 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:48.800 what 196 00:13:48.800 --> 00:13:49.900 awaited him there. 197 00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:54.000 But it would seem that only Mary understood. 198 00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:58.900 In the Gospel of John, when we are so shown a similar scene in the 199 00:13:58.900 --> 00:14:00.200 home of Mary, and Martha. 200 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:04.800 Mary, not only sits at Jesus feet, but pours expensive, perfume, on 201 00:14:04.800 --> 00:14:07.500 them and wipes them with her hair. 202 00:14:08.300 --> 00:14:12.600 And when the disciples object-- over the enormous cost, wasted on what 203 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:18.200 they deemed to be a pointless act of piety Jesus replies, 204 00:14:19.300 --> 00:14:20.800 that she has anointed me 205 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:23.300 for my burial. 206 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:29.900 Only Mary understood the true worth of Jesus. 207 00:14:30.300 --> 00:14:37.300 The cost of Salvation that he would purchase with his own life, his 208 00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:39.000 own blood. 209 00:14:40.300 --> 00:14:44.100 And at the foot of that cross, all of our hand-wringing about the 210 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:48.500 ordinary, all the small things and the momentary accomplishments and 211 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:51.300 trivial, triumphs, they come to an end. 212 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:58.000 Indeed, also those great and terrible things, our sin, our 213 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:59.800 selfishness, our shame, this too 214 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:05.500 comes to an end, nailed to the cross of Christ. 215 00:15:06.700 --> 00:15:07.900 Buried with him. 216 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:15.400 And upon his resurrection, exchanged for the joy of being in his 217 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:21.400 eternal presence, never taken away from Mary, never taken away from 218 00:15:21.400 --> 00:15:22.000 us. 219 00:15:24.900 --> 00:15:26.100 And this presence 220 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:29.000 it's found among us now. 221 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:35.000 He doesn't ask us to prepare for him a meal. 222 00:15:36.300 --> 00:15:37.800 He himself is the host. 223 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:41.100 And he has prepared his holy supper 224 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:44.300 for us in this blessed Sacrament. 225 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:51.100 And in this supper, he is present to us and for us. And though this 226 00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:54.000 place that we gather actually is pretty ordinary. 227 00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:59.100 We are nevertheless sitting at the very feet of our Lord 228 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:06.600 Jesus Christ teaches us through his word for of God, speaks listening 229 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:09.100 to him, is more important than dinner. 230 00:16:09.900 --> 00:16:13.500 Indeed, it's more important than anything that belongs to the world 231 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:14.900 that's passing away. 232 00:16:15.100 --> 00:16:15.600 Passing away 233 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:19.800 not because it's evil or pointless, but, because something better 234 00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:23.800 something beyond the ordinary that will not be taken away 235 00:16:23.800 --> 00:16:25.100 from us is coming. 236 00:16:27.100 --> 00:16:34.500 And lest we forget in the meantime we are surrounded by a world of 237 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:37.700 people who are anything but ordinary. 238 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:45.400 Each day you see people rub shoulders with people for whom Christ 239 00:16:45.400 --> 00:16:46.100 died. 240 00:16:47.300 --> 00:16:50.100 People that he loved unto the end. 241 00:16:51.900 --> 00:16:52.400 As C .S. 242 00:16:52.400 --> 00:16:57.300 Lewis concluded, the same essay, next to the blessed sacrament itself 243 00:16:58.100 --> 00:17:02.900 your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. 244 00:17:03.900 --> 00:17:09.599 And if he is a Christian neighbor, he is Holy in almost the same way 245 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:10.900 for in him 246 00:17:10.900 --> 00:17:14.300 also Christ is truly hidden. 247 00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:18.500 It's nothing ordinary there. 248 00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:22.900 There's nothing ordinary ever again. 249 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:24.900 Amen. 250 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:29.100 Peace of God, that passes all understanding. 251 00:17:29.100 --> 00:17:30.900 Keep your hearts and minds in Christ 252 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:32.000 Jesus our Lord. 253 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.000 Amen.