As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." (Lk 10:38-42)
Martha welcomed Jesus. She was also busy serving him. In the eastern countries women are busy at home preparing the food, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, washing cloths etc. Home was the domain of the woman of the house. Woman spends all her time energy in the house. Men sit at home and rest. Men work outside the house.
Mary sat at the foot of Jesus and listened to Jesus. Mary played the role of a man. She was resting and listening and talking with Jesus. She was crossing her boundaries and entering into the fields of men and playing the role of men. To sit at the feet of someone means to be a student (Saul of Tarsus sat at the feet of Gamaliel Acts 22:3)
Jesus affirms the right to be student. Mary stands as a model for all those women who hear the words of Jesus regarding the kingdom so that may later on speak about the kingdom to others. Jesus is asking the women to break the boundaries so that they may become disciples and later preachers of the kingdom. Discipleship and preaching of the kingdom is open to all: men and women.
