While Mary was keeping Jesus company, Martha was preparing and serving a meal, an act of hospitality that one cannot fault. However, her focus was on the act of serving itself, instead of serving Jesus. And as expected, when one focuses on the work instead of the reason for it, it becomes a chore, leading to Martha’s outburst of frustration. And instead of calling Mary aside and asking her to
help, Martha directs her frustration at Jesus, asking him whether he does not care that Mary is letting her work alone.
There may be times in our own lives when we feel overworked, whether it is in volunteer services at Church, ministry, at work, or even at home. When we think someone is not pulling their weight or not offering to help, instead of calmly asking for help, we grumble or explode with frustration. We may even complain to
the Lord. When asking the Lord for a calm spirit and courage, we could resolve the issue with the other person amicably.
In our communities, fingers are pointed, and voices are raised in frustration and anger at the “powers that be” for lack of service delivery and corruption. Perhaps a prayer for courage to call a meeting and to discuss issues calmly may be the first step towards resolving issues.
Reflections by Adri Sutherland
