Noise

                  Today’s text is Luke 10:38-40 the story of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary. While there is a lot to learn from both women today I am going to focus on Mary. It is curious to me that while she is a major player in the text for this week she has no speaking part. In fact the only two things we learn about Mary from this text are that she is sitting at Jesus feet and she is Martha’s sister. It’s odd to me because she has made a pretty bold choice in ignoring what would have been her expected duty as a women and member of the hosts household and instead spends time learning from Jesus. Don’t get it wrong while it would not have been uncommon for women at the time of Jesus to receive an education it would have normally been in particular places and times like at the temple, or when at home with the family. Not when guests and especially honored guests like a rabbi were around for a visit. So while the text tells us that Martha definitely said something about it. We can almost assume that others present also would have been whispering about Mary. Whispers asking who she thought she was? Why isn’t she helping her sister? Doesn’t she know that’s not her place? And so on. Yet there she sits silently ignoring the noise around her and listening to the words of the one who is the Word made flesh.

                  I think there is a lot to learn from the strength of Mary in this text. We also have a lot of noise in our lives. Noise about where we ought to be, what we ought to do, and who we ought to do it with and for. Noise whispering every time we find ourselves in unexpected, unheard of and unwelcome places. Places where the word of Jesus might be calling us to sit. So as you ponder and pray this week I hope you think of Mary, and ask yourself how you can better ignore the noise in your life, and where the word is calling you to learn amidst that noise.

Peace,

Corey