Sunday, July 18, 2010

Martha and Mary

"Mary was listening to Jesus." Makes me wonder what Jesus was sharing with her. The context of the passage is in the "Way" section of Luke's Gospel. Jesus is journeying to Jerusalem. Attention has been given to the phrase "seated at Jesus' feet". In the Acts Paul is said to have sat at the feet of Gamaliel. So these words have become almost code words for being someone's disciple. I just finished reading the book, Jesus the Village Psychiatrist. The epilogue mentions that the woman of the alabaster jar of ointment that anoints Jesus feet was tending to him in a special way. One reviewer of the book mentioned that he wishes that the author would have developed the many people who supported Jesus in his ministry. Surely he must have been taxed at time by the journeying, the negative reception, the conflicts. Maybe Mary's listening to Jesus was just what he needed. A listening ear to replenish him for the rest of the journey.