Ordinary 16/Proper 11C ​(Colossians 1:15-28; Psalm 52; Luke 10:38-42)

“Comparison is the death of joy,” says Mark Twain. This is the quote I used for my weekly spirituality group I facilitate for patients in the hospital. The topic, though, was joy, not about how harmful comparison can be. Many patients in the group were able to resonate with Twain’s saying, “Comparison is the death of joy.” It captured something that they all shared in common. Also, considering that they clinically suffer from depression and anxiety, and that some of them were functioning just like anyone in the past, Twain’s saying speaks true to them.

I asked them why and how they can relate to his saying. Most of them said, that’s what we do all the time. If we think a little deeper, comparison is not just the death of joy. It can be the death of our life. Can you imagine your life without joy, a feeling of great pleasure and happiness? It’s utterly impossible. We are joy-seeking creatures. And we are also somehow programmed to compare ourselves to others.

In today’s gospel reading, we can easily fall into this trap of comparison between Martha and Mary. Who did it right or wrong? Who’s better or worse? Who’s wiser or more foolish? Whose action is more acceptable in the eyes of Jesus? Based on Jesus’ response to Martha, we know who is a winner, who has done a better job, who is wiser, or even who is better behaved and more loved! It is Mary that Jesus seems to raises her hand, not Martha’s. The logic of comparison makes one lesser than the other.

This morning, however, I want to try something different. I invite us NOT to compare and judge between Martha and Mary. If we keep comparing, we lose the essential message of the gospel. Comparison is in itself a distraction to us. And more importantly, we don’t want to diminish our joy which we can find in both Martha and Mary! What we want to do is the way of “both-and,” not the way of “either-or.” This way of thinking is just like our identity as Anglicans. We are “both” catholic “and” protestant.

This morning we can easily find ourselves being both Martha and Mary. Maybe more of Martha than Mary. Martha shows her passion to best serve and welcome Jesus. We show our passion to best serve Jesus, first by coming to All Saints on Sunday. Martha is a hard worker. All of us are hard workers. Think about all the events we work on!Martha gets frustrated with her sister Mary who is not helping her at all! We do get angry with those who seem to be doing nothing… Perhaps Dean and I may have been like Mary! Martha’s hospitality and zeal for Jesus, and her anger with Mary and Jesus make sense. And there’s really nothing wrong with it. What I see in Martha is a person who is full of love, passion, and energy. We are all Marthas.

AND, We are all Marys. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus. Every Sunday we sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary listens to what Jesus is saying. We listen to what Jesus is saying to us, not only on Sundays, but everyday. Mary wants to be fully present with Jesus. We want to be fully present with Jesus.  Mary sits at his feet and listens to his words to live like him. We try our best to imitate Jesus.

We are all Marthas. AND we are all Marys.

Jesus’ response to Martha’s frustration and anger might sound like Jesus is rebuking Martha and is protecting Mary. But again, the point is not Martha did wrong, and Mary did right. The point is Martha being distracted by her many tasks. It’s the distraction that separates both Martha and Mary. It’s the distraction that separates Martha from Jesus.

It’s not about listening to the sermon is better than doing something for good causes. It’s not about prioritizing one activity over the other. It’s about what is that distracts and muddles my focus on Jesus.

Today’s passage has often been used to justify that listening to a pastor’s sermon should be more important than serving others particularly in the Protestant tradition. They always emphasize preaching of the gospel. But nowhere in today’s gospel story,  Jesus tells us what kind of message he was delivering to Mary. We have no idea what message Mary was listening to. We know more about Martha. And thanks to Martha for telling on Mary to Jesus! Otherwise we wouldn’t have known what’s really important!

Right now, we seem to be in the shoes of Mary. But we might be Martha who is being distracted. After this service during coffee hours, we might be in the shoes of Martha. But we might not necessarily be distracted  if we recognize we are serving Jesus by serving others.

Wherever we go to, we become Martha and Mary. We do something for others while listening to the will of God. We not only serve others and sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him. And we can be both Martha and Mary when we are not being distracted.

Is this possible doing seemingly two things at the same time? Yes, only when we are in union with Christ. Brother Lawrence is a great example of being both Martha and Mary. He is a 17th century Carmelite lay brother who spent much of his monastic life in the kitchen and repaired sandals. He was not an educated man, but he was deeply spiritual. After his death, his book was compiled in the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. He says, “Think often on God, by day, by night, and in your business and eve in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave him not alone.”

The Eucharist is the greatest symbol of our union with Christ. At the Eucharist, we sit at the feet of Jesus like Mary. After the service, we go out to the world in peace to love and serve the Lord. With our body that has received the Body and Blood of Christ, we are present with Jesus. Actually Jesus is present with us. And with our body, we are to love and serve others.

The world is becoming more dangerous. We know what happened in Nice. At least 84 people, many of them children, have been killed. In this midst of terror, violence, and tragedy, what are we as Christians supposed to do? We hear prayer is not enough. But I say, prayer is more than enough only when we see both Martha and Mary in ourselves. We act on our prayers. We do what we pray for. The only thing we must be aware of is the distraction that separates us from those who suffer. The distraction that makes us ignorant of those who suffer. The distraction that lacks love and compassion for others.The distraction that is self-serving…The disctration that tells us to stay away from the feet of Jesus hung on the cross.

The distraction can be gone only when we are in union with Christ. The Eucharist dissolves all our distractions. It helps us to focus on the Body and Blood of Christ,  and helps us to focus on the innocent bodies and bloods...As Jesus comes into us through this sacrament, we are being transformed, restored, and renewed.Our distractions, however, will come back. Even if our experience of being in union with Christ in the Eucharist will only last about a second,we never cease to do this in remembrance of his love, compassion, and redemption shown in his death and resurrection.

And Jesus in today’s gospel reading once again promises us, “The better part we have chosen will not be taken away from us.” Our union with Christ will never be taken away from us. With this faith in Christ who is ever present, who never abandons us, we act like Martha, cooking meals of love for others, and we listen like Mary, sitting at the feet of those who suffer.

May God of Martha and Mary dissolve all our distractions, and empower us to act like Martha and listen like Mary. Amen.