Host and guest

Genesis 18:1-10a; Luke 10:38-42

Today, our readings from Genesis and Luke are about hospitality. We see examples in these readings of being the host and being the guest.

I have taken my turn in the kitchen as the host, and I have taken my turn as the guest. Most recently, the Pinelands Conference spring gathering was at Luther Springs, where there were 3 concurrent events happening.

One group of guests was just leaving the dining hall as we were arriving, having been shooed out by the staff. The tables were still littered with breakfast dishes and syrup. It was obvious – the sooner the tables were cleared, the sooner we could begin our own program. Many of the men stood around discussing options, and I began clearing tables, playing the host. Two or three women and men joined me in clearing the tables, and in a short time, the dean could start the meeting. I took my place at one of the tables, and became a listener/learner, a guest.

… In the reading from Genesis, Abraham and Sarah are losing hope of ever having a child, but on this day, three visitors assure them that a child will be born within the year. Abraham is the perfect host: he welcomes the travelers according to local custom, inviting them to wash their feet, quench their thirst, and enjoy a snack while they wait for a meal to be prepared. In the meantime, Sarah may be supervising the meal preparations, but she is also listening at the tent opening.

The guests are understood to be divine messengers. Later believers label them as the Trinity, God in three personas, visiting in person. They are the guests, for sure, but the way they bring a message from God, they could also be thought of as the hosts.

 … In Martha’s home, Jesus is a welcome guest. Although the Gospel of John includes more stories about Martha and Mary, this is the only mention of them in Luke, so, let’s not assume we know anything other than what we have here.

Martha welcomes Jesus to her home, and her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. As the host of this important, well-known guest, Martha wants everything to be perfect. She doesn’t have the servants to carry out the meal preparation tasks that Abraham had, so it’s all up to her. That’s the right way to honor a guest: make everything special.

Mary has other ideas about how to make a guest feel special. She gives him all her attention, ignoring the fuss that Martha is making about a special meal. Martha notices that Mary is not helping her, and motions, urging her to come and help her with the meal. Mary ignores her, and Martha triangles Jesus into the situation.

“Jesus,” she whines, “Tell Mary to help me!” Well, maybe she doesn’t whine. Certainly, she asks Jesus to intervene. He surprises Martha by telling her to stop fussing and come and join them.

… So, a couple things to notice. For us today, having women sitting at the feet of a guest, a storyteller, a teacher, is common. But women’s role in Jesus’ time was to remain in the background, listen while they worked, hidden by the doorway. Or be totally out of earshot – because what the guest was saying “wasn’t for women’s ears.” Here, we can think about Sarah, listening to the three guests from the tent opening.

 In contrast, we know that it was Jesus’ intent to include women in everything. It is Jesus’ intent here for Martha to join Mary in listening/learning at his feet. The fancy meal isn’t needed. The dishes can wait. Take off your apron and sit with us.

… In Luke, Jesus talks a lot about people serving each other, helping those in need. So, it kind of surprises us that Jesus takes this approach with Martha. If serving is good, why criticize her? … And I wonder: what about Mary? Shouldn’t she have called to Martha, telling her to leave the dishes and join her? Luke, our story-teller, doesn’t tell us if that has happened.  

Both stories today are about offering good hospitality, and that hospitality includes being present with the guests. Abraham did this well; of course, he had servants to do the cooking and cleaning. In a small household without servants, we ourselves are responsible for the hospitality, and this is the place where Martha was.

I think Martha was unhappy because she was torn about how best to provide hospitality: the traditional pose: behind the scenes provision of a good meal; or the non-traditional pose: listening and learning at the feet of the teacher. Martha wanted to sit with Jesus, too, but her culture told her she shouldn’t, couldn’t, as long as there was work to do.

… And the most important point in these stories about hosts and guests is that when Jesus is the guest, our focus is rightly on being with him. The table setting, the food, the flower arrangement, the bulletin, the music, is all less important than spending time with Jesus. He is both host and guest at every gathering, every time we pray, every time we worship.  

… Hospitality is about welcoming guests in many ways, and as church people, we are all called to do our best to welcome guests and make them feel at home. Sometimes, that means setting out the food and cleaning up afterwards. And sometimes, it means sitting with the guests and getting to know them.

This week, I hope you ponder the ways you offer hospitality. Do you focus on the meal or on the guest? Or do you find ways to do both? How, especially, do you welcome Jesus? Amen