Feeding & Being Fed as Spiritual Practice
Today’s gospel is an interesting one.
I say that because it is a story of two sisters, faced with a choice, and they each chose differently.
And I think traditionally, we are quick to judge Martha unfairly and say she chose poorly.
But hospitality is important, and meals don’t just prepare themselves, right?
Jesus and his followers had to eat.
So, Martha was doing something important—vital even.
The problem with Martha’s reasoning is that she thought her work was the most important thing.
But Jesus gently corrected her and pointed out that Mary’s listening to him teach was important—in fact, “the better part”.
And that’s what I think makes this passage so interesting.
Because we’re faced with choices all the time, aren’t we?
And, generally speaking, we tend to be very task-oriented.
What can I accomplish today?
How many things can I cross off my list?
And sometimes, we forget to ask ourselves, “am I doing the important thing?”
“Have I chosen the better part?”
“Or am I getting so bogged down in minutia or that I’m not listening to the words of Jesus?”
I think those are all good questions to ask ourselves.
There are many things that I love about our Lutheran faith and its traditions.
Paramount to our faith is the idea of grace.
Grace tells us that, as children of God, we are all beneficiaries of God’s grace.
Despite our imperfection—despite all the ways that we find to disappoint God—we are all loved unconditionally.
And we are all forgiven—over and over again.
Day in and day out.
Another thing I love is the importance of context.
We believe that we cannot fully understand Scripture without understanding the historical and cultural context in which it was written.
But the thing that I love that is particularly relevant here is the concept of both/and.
We are often faced with what we perceive to be either/or choices.
But many times, the choices are not so clear cut.
Listening to Jesus teach was important.
So, it’s easy to say that Mary choose wisely.
But feeding Jesus was also important.
Both Mary’s task and Martha’s task were important.
Martha’s error was in perceiving that her choice was either/or.
I think this story is so relevant to our faith life.
We so often face this dilemma: do I listen at the feet of Jesus or do I do something?
And the answer is not a simple one.
Going to church on Sunday is important.
Reading the Bible or going to Bible Study is important.
Having a good prayer life is important.
But so is going outside this community and serving people in need—the ones Jesus called “the least of these”.
On the flip side, working at the mobile shower deployments is important.
Volunteering your time at a food pantry or a soup kitchen is important.
Protesting injustice is important.
But so is being the Body of Christ in this community.
It’s not an either/or choice.
It’s a both/and.
Our faith—listening at the feet of Jesus—inspires us to do something.
It inspires us to pick up that mantle of shepherd that Jesus passed on to us.
And, if you’ll indulge me a little further, I’d like to continue my defense of Martha.
Because I can’t help but hear the echo of Jesus’ words, “Feed my sheep”.
Feeding people is part of my love language so “feed my sheep” resonates strongly with me.
Feeding people—breaking bread together—can be a spiritual experience.
And when I really thought about it, I was amazed at how many times in the past couple of weeks a shared meal became the work of Jesus.
At the closing ceremony of Vacation Bible School, we fed the families of our day campers.
We sat side-by-side and became family.
Language was not a barrier.
We shared love and admiration for children who learned a few songs and put their hearts and souls into singing them.
We were entertained.
We laughed.
Our hearts were filled with the Spirit.
And not one person left that celebration who wasn’t elevated by being there.
Last week, we worshipped with the African community at the United Methodist Church at New Brunswick.
We sat side-by-side with them and we were welcomed as family.
Language was not a barrier.
Neither was culture.
We were swept up in their joy and their gratitude.
We were uplifted by prayer and song and dance.
And then we were fed.
On Friday night, a group of us gathered at Tiina and Arnie’s for a Potluck Dinner.
We all already knew one another.
But there is something about sharing a meal together that draws you closer.
There is something about sharing something you made—something you made with love in your heart.
There’s something about that that binds you.
We talked.
We listened.
And we ate.
And, in the process, we grew closer.
And, in a moment, we will share the most important meal together.
It is a meal we share not only with each other but also with Jesus.
It is a meal we share not only with each other but also with all the saints that came before us and all the saints that will come after us.
It is a meal that binds us as a community of faith.
It is a meal that provides spiritual nourishment.
It is a meal that strengthens us as the family of God’s children.
There is a common thread in all those events.
And I could add others.
You see, by saying, “Feed my sheep”, Jesus made feeding something sacred.
And by sharing a table with the oppressed and the marginalized—outcasts of society—he made something equally sacred about sharing a meal.
So maybe we should cut Martha a little slack.
She was doing important work.
She was doing the sacred act of feeding.
And maybe—in our busy lives, where we are trying to be as productive as humanly possible—we try to remember to pause and ask, “am I doing the important thing?”
“Have I chosen the better part?”
And maybe also remember that not every choice is either/or.
Sometimes, the right choice is both/and.
And, my friends, I beg you to always remember that Jesus said, “feed my sheep”.
And how that makes feeding a sacred task.
And how sharing a meal binds us to one another in community and as a family.
Thanks be to God!
May this meditation on God’s word keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen.