July 20, 2025
Revised Common Lectionary
Amos 8:1-12 or Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm 52 or Psalm 15
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42
Lectionary for Mass (RC)
Genesis 18:1-10a
Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5 (1a)
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42
When we hear the story of Martha and Mary, I’m guessing that many of us think about people—usually other people—in our families or among our friends. Even if you’ve never said it yourself, odds are that you’ve heard the comment that someone is “such a Martha”—like that’s a bad thing.
But what if we’ve been missing the point about Martha entirely? Jesus never tells her that she shouldn’t fuss over company or prepare a wonderful meal. He simply pushes back on her demand that he dispatch Mary to the kitchen.
There’s a lot to admire about Martha. Luke tells us that it was Martha who “welcomed [Jesus] into her home” (Lk 10:38) in the first place. She was clearly eager to spend time with Jesus and to show her esteem with a meal in his honor. For his part, Jesus appears to have been quite happy to accept her kindness, making himself at home and sharing his words with others who may have been present.
It seems that Mary’s idea of hospitality was quite different from Martha’s. While Martha was engaged in preparations, Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying” (Lk 10:39). She gave Jesus and his words her full attention.
Rather than seeing Martha and Mary’s ways of welcoming Jesus as conflicting, we might recognize that the sisters represent two complementary and essential aspects of true hospitality. Extending welcome requires preparation—planning, shopping, cleaning, cooking, and more. Jesus never suggests that this work is unimportant or unnecessary. But the “better part” of hospitality is giving to guests one’s full attention—listening to their stories, learning about their experiences, and savoring their presence.
The story gives us insight not only on how to welcome guests into our homes, but also how we are to welcome Christ into our lives and into our communities, whether at worship or in the faces of those in need. Jesus is suggesting that there is a time to put preparations and fussing aside so that we can focus on “the better part,” savoring his presence and attending to his word.
This challenge is particularly acute for pastors, musicians, and other worship leaders. Ironically, when we haven’t prepared thoroughly, we can become more focused on what we’re doing than on the presence of Christ among us. Similarly, when we serve others, we are called not simply to carry out tasks on their behalf or for their benefit, but to engage them as persons with dignity, learning their names, hearing their stories, and treating them as valued siblings in Christ.
The reason that we prepare, whether for the guest in our home, the person we are serving, or the God that we worship, is to offer authentic and attentive welcome. Sure, preparation is a necessary part of hospitality, but today Jesus reminds us that preparation serves presence—and that presence is always “the better part.”
A Hymn for Today: “Bless the arms that comfort”
This text by Mary Louise Bringle, FHS, was selected in a search conducted by The Hymn Society seeking a hymn for caregivers. Bringle draws in part on the example of Martha and Mary in a text that asks for God’s blessing on those who care for others in various ways. Its pairing with Gustav Holst’s lovely tune CRANHAM, usually associated with the Christmas hymn “In the bleak midwinter,” conveys a spirit of tenderness and amplifies the themes of comfort, care, and service of others. Listen here.
Bless the arms that comfort,
strong to shoulder care,
gentle in their healing,
reaching through despair.
Bless the hands that labor
Martha’s daily deeds;
Mary’s precious ointment,
balm for different needs.
Bless the ears that listen,
sharing joys and fears—
laughing in our triumphs,
weeping with our tears.
Bless the eyes whose wisdom
sees through pride’s façade,
cherishing our weakness
with the heart of God.
Bless the feet that follow,
like Naomi’s Ruth—
constant friend through sorrow,
speaking holy truth:
Though our journeys lead us
far in time and space,
God anoints companions,
ministers of grace.
Text: Mary Louise Bringle, © 2001 The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Co.
Tune: CRANHAM
Image Credit: Mary, Martha, and Jesus, Kathleen Peterson, 21st cent.
“Word and Song: A Lectionary Reflection” is written by the Executive Director of The Hymn Society, Rev. Dr. Mike McMahon. For his full bio, click here and scroll down to the “staff” section.
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