Breaking the Word

  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)

Though Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, he does not mind breaking his journey to meet his friends and spending some time with them. He chooses Bethany as one of his stop-over. Bethany (= house of the poor) was a place where the poor lived.  Jesus associates with the poor and his friends are from among the poor.

Two sisters, one is busy with preparing food for the family and friend while the other is spending time with the friend. Preparing food is as important as spending time with the friend. Probably Martha would also like to spend time with Jesus as Mary is doing.

I wonder why Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part since both are equally important. Does Jesus indirectly say that ‘man does not live on bread alone but from the word of God implying that he was discussing with her the word of God? For Jesus, every visit or every meeting is opportunity to communicate God and word of God.        

 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead…

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (Lk 10:25-37)

Scholar of the law asks a question about eternal life. Jesus challenges him with laws. Jesus questions him with regard to laws. Since he was a scholar of the law he answered him correctly. Jesus tells him to live what he knows to be correct. Knowledge should lead one to action says Jesus.

The scholar wants to show that he is smarter by asking a practical question. Jesus answers him with a story. The story does not speak about the love of God. It only concerns about the love of the neighbour.

Neighbour is the one who is treated with mercy. It also implies that the neighbour is the one who is suffering and who is in need of assistance. This we see in the life of Jesus. Jesus always takes the side of the suffering, the sick, the needy. To prove one to be a neighbour is to show mercy.