Celebrating Women's Work: Serving God with Soup Pots and Stoles

August 2-6, 2000
Brockport, New York (near Rochester)

The Event
Four days of dialogue, worship and community interaction with a focus on the past, present and future of women in all forms of ministry.

Scripture
Luke 10:38-41—Mary and Martha

Primary Goals

• To explore the biblical foundation, historical context, present-day reality, and vision for the future of women in all aspects of lay and ordained ministry.
• To worship God as a community of women, acknowledging God as the source of our strength and the foundation of our ministry.
• To "celebrate the journey" of women's encounters with Jesus, both biblically and historically, in an effort to discern one's own call.
• To draw from the rich resources in the Rochester area of women's heritage, including the Women's Rights National Historic Park at Seneca Falls.

Mission and Purpose
As women of faith, we are all called to participate in God's ministry on earth. Through the 2000 NNPCW event, we seek to gather as a community of Christian college women and wise women mentors to explore our individual and collective concepts of ministry. In a celebration of our journey, we will share the diverse stories of women in ministry, including the debate over women's ordination, the contributions and perspectives of women of color, and various avenues for ministry, both lay and ordained.

Worship at the Leadership Event
As part of NNPCW's commitment to leadership development, worship at the event was designed and led by NNPCW students, giving them the opportunity to share their liturgical gifts, their study of scripture, and their experiences of faith. The following reflections on the three stories of Mary and Martha were parts of worship services during the event.

1. Reflection on Luke 10.38-42 given by Dani Thomas, junior at Maryville College

How do you think Martha felt? So Jesus comes to your house, two miles outside of Jerusalem, and you let him in. Your sister comes out and listens to him talk while you go on about your work—being hospitable and taking care of the basic necessities for living in the suburbs of the ancient Middle East. You start wondering what happened to your sister who had been helping you and realize that she's sitting down having a little chat with your visitor. "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me," you say with an earnest sincerity. Then Jesus, guest in your home, tells you that Mary has been the wiser sister this time and that you are too distracted. "Too distracted?" you think to yourself. You're only trying to be hospitable, right?

Maybe it's time for a shift in our life paradigm. Martha needed a little tweaking of her values. (As she is now to worry less about hospitality and more about contemplation and discipleship.) Jesus welcomed these women as disciples. Perhaps we too should try avoid the sticky web of everyday life and open our ears and focus our minds. All too often the trivialities of life distract us from engaging our bodies and minds in actively seeking, questioning, contemplating, and sharing our faith. Maybe it's time for us to step off of the subway and slow our own world down so that we may listen more closely to our call.

Everybody wants the world to "be a better place," no? What if maybe that is what Jesus is saying in this story. What if we pause from our lives. Shift our values. Worry a little less about lunch and a little more about God. Maybe then, as we refocus our hearts, we will be able to work more effectively in the world. Serving God often reveals itself in service to others. Step away from our rushed lives and take a step toward listening. I bet we'll surprise ourselves with how much better the world will be with a little time taken out for contemplation and willful discipleship.

"... there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." Will not be taken away from her. Need of only one thing. Go ahead. Do it. And it will not be taken away from you.

2. Reflection on John 11:1-45 offered by Laura Mariko Cheifetz, recent graduate of Western Washington University

This passage is central to Jesus' mission as a whole. But while the raising of Lazarus is usually considered the center of the story, the key parts of this passage are the conversations Jesus has with Martha and Mary, both of whom engage him in conversation about faith, and even though Jesus did not come when first summoned, they express their confidence in him.

Martha here courageously professes her faith in Jesus to his face. She understands who he is, the divine incarnate, but her response to Jesus' statements about the resurrection shows that she does not yet understand how Jesus Christ goes far beyond the traditional conception of the Messiah.

When Jesus speaks of his resurrection, Martha believes he speaks of the final resurrection on the last day.

In a popular paraphrase of this passage, Martha says, "I know that he [Lazarus] will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time." And Jesus says, "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all."

Martha's traditional understanding is ultimately challenged and changed by Jesus' radical conceptions of life and death. This is what Jesus was referring to when he spoke to his disciples earlier—because they had to see it to believe it.

How will each one of us react when Jesus explodes the containers we have created for the Messiah and his message? Just when we think we have Jesus figured out, we realize that's not what has happened—it's that we know so little about Jesus. That's the beauty of a "faith journey"—faith and belief are fluid, always growing and changing with what is happening within and around us.

When I was in high school, I once asked my dad (who is a Presbyterian minister) about this salvation thing, which can be a sticky subject sometimes. I asked if everyone had to believe in Jesus—the Christian Jesus—to be saved, or if people who subscribed to another faith tradition (or no faith tradition at all) were also saved. He said, "Jesus is much bigger than we can understand." There went one of my boxes. I was able to release my perception of Christ from a container which has been constructed and misused throughout the history of the Christian church.

What boxes do you have things contained in? Do they contain people, or God, or your academic discipline? What about how you see yourself? Do you ever have that moment where the world opens up before your eyes?

That's what Jesus was telling Martha—he was expanding her vision of who he was and is.

Let us pray.

Eternal Spirit, bless us as we seek to discern your creation that is our life. We ask for wisdom and strength as you continue to explode our boxes that can never contain you. Be with us as we struggle with our place in the world, as we worship, study, mourn, play, seek justice, laugh, and love. May we be challenged to re-conceptualize who you are as we carry your hospitality, your tears and your overwhelming love for all people throughout the world. Amen.

3. Reflection on John 12:1-8, offered by Gusti Newquist, associate for NNPCW

The banquet has been prepared in honor of Jesus, once again at the home of our friends Mary and Martha. Their brother, Lazarus has just been raised from the dead, and the sisters bring out their metaphorical fine china to celebrate.

Consider the detailed planning the two sisters must have done to make this banquet a success. They would have wanted the food to be just right. They would have brought out their best candles. Perhaps they picked beautiful flowers with which to decorate the table. They probably agonized over the "perfect gift" to give to Jesus—to let him know how much they loved him.

Have you ever been that grateful? Has there been anything in your life for which you were unabashedly, unrestrainedly, unapologetically filled with gratitude? The kind of gratitude that throws off all inhibitions and thoughts of what's "appropriate"? The kind of gratitude that just makes you want to shout to the world how grateful you are? The kind of gratitude that makes you want to drop everything and throw a big party! This is the kind of gratitude that Mary and Martha felt.

Like Mary and Martha, we each have a unique experience of God made known to us in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Perhaps an experience that has filled us with gratitude. Like Mary and Martha and other women of faith throughout herstory, we come to God with extravagant gifts to share—our soup pots and our stoles; our gifts of "precious oil"—gifts that will honor God and gifts from which all God's people will benefit. We bring the very best of our selves to God.

There may be those who, like Judas in this text, will criticize our gifts. There may be those who believe our gifts might be used better in another way; those who misunderstand the gratitude with which we offer our gifts; those who misunderstand what it is we are attempting to do, and how we are attempting to serve. There may even be those who feel we are not qualified to offer these gifts.

But, sisters, our God is an empowering God. Our Jesus is a liberating Christ. Our Holy Spirit is continually working through us and in the world to bring about justice, peace, and reconciliation.

What does the Lord require of us? To seek justice; to love kindness; and to walk humbly with our God. Mary and Martha offered a banquet and expensive ointment as a symbol of the more profound offering of their lives. This night, in the days and weeks and years to come, for what are you grateful? With what shall you come before the Lord? What offering will you make—to God and for the benefit of the world? How will you seek justice? How will you love kindness? How will you walk humbly with your God?

4. Reflection on Luke 10:38-41, John 11:1-45, and John 12:1-8 led by Dani Thomas, junior at Maryville College

This is now the second time that we have heard these three passages. All three stories involve two sisters who lived in the suburbs of Jerusalem roughly two thousand years ago. We shall now examine these three texts in light of one common theme—hospitality.

If you look in Webster's Dictionary you run your finger down the page and there are three definitions of the word hospitable. One and two are pretty much the same: "friendly, kind, and solicitous toward guests." This seems to be the case for our friend Martha. In each story it is clear that Martha always tries to be hospitable. When Jesus comes to Bethany to visit the two sisters, Martha is working dutifully. When Jesus comes to see about Lazarus, Martha goes to meet him. And them six days before the Passover, Martha serves a big dinner. Martha seems always to be working. Her hospitality though lends to the focus of one's character instead of the more obvious notion of what we should do or "proper behavior."

Let us take a quick look at Martha's sister, Mary, before we expand on this idea. Mary seems like a veritable Hospitality Slacker when she's posed right there next to Martha the Workhorse. In fact though, Mary's demeanor is very dynamic. We see Mary contemplative; we see Mary full of grief; and we see Mary full of shameless gratitude. As Jesus returns to Bethany upon news of Lazarus' death, Mary kneels at his feet. She sits down as he talks in her home and she moves to anoint his feet before his death. Every act that we have looked at with Mary is in fact hospitable.

We often think of Mary as the more reserved sister and we think of Martha as the do-er. The actions and motivations of each sister open the door for examining one's personal character which is, I think, what these stories invite us to do. Martha and Mary are both respectful and hospitable. Martha seems to have a very active, engaged manner whereas Mary's actions evolve and strengthen in each successive appearance.

So just after "friendly, kind, and solicitous toward guests" you will look and see a third definition of hospitable: "receptive or open, as to new ideas." Receptive or open as to new ideas. I think that Luke and John are trying to tell us something with these women. They present two different characters with different styles of hospitality. Jesus accepts both of them as disciples but challenges each one differently. They are both encouraged to understand the mystery of Jesus and the essence of his message but each in a little different way. Martha is encouraged to become perhaps a little more intrapersonal. To step away from unneeded acts of hospitality. Yes, being hospitable is important and expressionistic, but not so far to the extent where understanding is denied. Martha is challenged to see Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah. Her idea of Jesus, her amazing friend, must now take on the flavor of one who bears the power of God. Martha expands her paradigm for Jesus and becomes truly hospitable—receptive and open to this new idea.

Similarly, Mary's hospitality reveals itself perhaps more subtlety until the dinner where she anoints the feet of Jesus.

Luke and John are writing that regardless of how we find ourselves interacting with people, we are welcomed as disciples, as students, ready to learn, and encouraged to broaden our well-laid personal paradigms by exploring that third definition of hospitality. Being receptive and open to new ideas. So how does this apply to each of us? How can you expand the theme of hospitality in your life?

Martha and Mary, friends of Jesus, were able to peer into the mystery of Jesus as the seemingly oxymoronic divine person. Perhaps each of us should try to be truly hospitable. Is it easy to be friendly and kind? Sure it is. Is it easy to be receptive and open to new ideas? Well, not always—especially if they cramp our style. Martha and Mary had a little advantage over us on this true hospitality thing though. They had the opportunity of Jesus' physical presence and conversation to learn from. We have to work from their example. Do we have the strength to step away from easy hospitality and into a deeper, sincere hospitality? Of course we do. The strength to do so is closely tied our worth. Our God-given worth. Jesus accepted these women as followers—worthy followers. Martha and Mary harnessed their God-given strength and sense of worth. They realized their value as part of the divine creation and this realization allowed them to see the mystery of Jesus' person. This too can happen to each of us.

Although this is probably not a radical idea for your ears, in the ancient Near East it was pretty unheard of for women to interact comfortably with men. Mary and Martha sit down with Jesus and have profound theological discussions. They are defended by Jesus. Martha even tells him what to do: "Tell her then to help me." Perhaps the most incredible is when Martha tells Jesus point blank: "You are the Messiah. You are God. I understand that right now I am speaking to God." Wow. How about that? How would that make you feel? To be right there, face to face, with God. Women are great. Martha right there, on the spot, no doubt about it, "you are God," she says. "I understand that you, Jesus, my friend, are God." Pretty profound for Martha the Workhorse. Yeah, Martha's working in the kitchen but her brain is in full gear. Martha becomes truly hospitable.

On a different note ... As we watch Mary anoint the feet of Jesus we see other reflections of personal character. Talk about hospitable. This woman is so absolutely thankful and filled with awe and understanding that she finds expression in wiping Jesus' feet with her hair. Offering none but the finest with which to anoint. Offering, with her sister, none but the widest table for banquet. Mary is a woman whose actions speak for her. Earlier she listened, sitting at the feet of Jesus, absorbing his mystery. Later she cried. Her brother dead, a preventable death—bringing Jesus to tears. That, is awesome. Now she kneels. Anointing the feet of the divine. The fragrance filling the house. The mystery filling the house. This action, this odor, a proclamation of Jesus' mystery. A proclamation of her worth as a human, of her worth as a student, of her worth as a woman. A proclamation of her hospitality. Mary acts out her reception of this new idea.

This banquet truly opens the table. I'd like to think that the dinner for Lazarus was a manifestation of the sisters' sense of true hospitality. Jesus was there, encouraging the actions of these women. Encouraging the broadest table. Affirming the worth, credibility, and actions of these women. Most certainly the others eating there were at least twitching at the idea of affirming women's work. Maybe we should listen to Jesus here and try to understand what is behind his broad table.

So why would Jesus go for such a wide table? Why would he raise Lazarus from four days of death? Because Jesus understands our undeniable human-ness. Regardless of how tight he was with his friends, they are skeptical. These folks had the luxury of seeing to believe. I don't think that we need that luxury. We have the story of these women and the ability to understand what is running through it. We have the strength, given by God, to see that Jesus' actions, Jesus' acceptance, Jesus' message is wholesome. Because this man understands the severity of our human condition—these are the lengths to which he had to go. He had to raise somebody from the dead! He had to defend women! He had to show us our own worth. He had to show us our own ability to peer at some inkling of the divine and engage ourselves in service—hospitable service.

Mary and Martha worked in different ways. May we be called to the broad table. May we seek to become truly hospitable in our own lives. Even if it's in a tiny little way. Let's try to expand our paradigms—enhance our own person—remembering the differences embodied in Mary and in Martha, remembering that hospitality in its truest sense invites us to be open. Let us each open our own table for all to serve, for all to celebrate, for all to be loved by God. And what a warm love that is.