Homily, What’s in a Name?
The Sixth Sunday after the Pentecost (Proper 11C), 2025
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Plant City, FL
The Rev. Derek M Larson, TSSF
Today’s Lectionary Readings:
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42
In the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have you ever been stressed out? Have you ever been overwhelmed? Have you ever been anxious about all the things that need to be done?
Have you ever held up your to-do list in one hand and your daily planner in the other, and knew that it was not going to work?
What an uncomfortable feeling that is! To feel the pressure of your responsibilities. To feel the weight of things that need to get done. Things that often we have less control over than we’d like to admit. That is stress.
And we know it’s not good for us. Stress wears on our bodies. It effects our mental health. It puts strain on our relationships. But managing our stress is easier said than done.
Martha, in our gospel passage today, knows that feeling. She has invited Jesus into her home, and she wants everything to be just right. She has heard this rabbi for weeks now preach on the importance of hospitality—as he faced rejection in Samaria, as he sent out the seventy two disciples, as he told the story of the Good Samaritan, and now it is her turn. She is in the spotlight as she welcomes Jesus into her own home and there is so much to be done. Everywhere this rabbi goes he brings his disciples. There are many mouths to feed. Many feet to wash. It’s a lot of work to play host to this traveling entourage, but she is happy to do it. She knows that it is important. She wants Jesus and his followers to feel at home and comfortable in her house. She wants to show them that she cares about their well-being. That she loves and respects them. That she supports the work they are doing in the world.
Oh, but there is so much to do. And Mary, her sister, has abandoned her. Martha is stuck in the kitchen juggling the dishes while Mary is lazing around with the men. Evidently Mary doesn’t care about practicing good hospitality. Evidently Mary doesn’t care about making sure Jesus and his friends feel at home and have everything they need. She’s just sitting there, pretending to be one of the guys. More interested in good company than good hospitality.
(So Martha’s thoughts might have been) She’s clearly stressed out. This is a big responsibility and it sounds like Martha is on the verge of a panic attack.
And so she steps into the room to say something to Jesus and her sister about it.
I like to imagine that before Martha said a word to Jesus she had tried out some more subtle ways of getting their attention. Do you know what I mean? A loud clearing of the throat. A long sigh. Some clanging of pots and pans in the other room. But to no avail. And so she says to the Rabbi, her guest, “Lord, do you not care that my sister (she probably said it just like that) has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”
Now maybe Martha is bit worked up at the moment, but it is a reasonable request. She needs help. Dinner is not going to cook itself. Or as the hippies say on the commune, “Everyone wants to change the world, but nobody wants to do the dishes.” Martha’s work is important.
But Jesus says to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part.”
I wonder what Martha thought of that. I wonder if at Jesus’ words all her stress just faded away and she sat down next to Mary. Or if she stormed off offended. Hurt and slightly annoyed by his words, like when someone tells you to just calm down in the middle of a panic attack.
“There is need of only one thing,” Jesus says. Only one thing? Really? That sounds nice, but what are we going to give up then? Shall we not eat dinner tonight? Or perhaps we’ll just sleep without blankets. No need to wash up, the house can be filthy.
Jesus’ words sound naive. When are we ever able to do just one thing?
But the one thing Jesus speaks of is not a task to replace our long lists. It is a posture, an attitude, an intention. The one thing that is necessary is to listen to the voice of Jesus. To pay attention to his presence. To be aware of his grace and love. So that whatever we do, we do it in that spirit.
Jesus’ words to Martha are not a matter of action versus inaction, but of attention versus distraction. It is not Martha’s work that Jesus critiques, but where Martha has placed her attention while she works. She is focused more on Mary’s absence than Jesus’ presence. She is more worried about what might not get done than what is happening right in front of her. She has literally brought Jesus into her home, and yet is completely missing out on him being there.
Have you ever been so caught up in the stress of your work that you forget why you’re doing it? Martha forgot the purpose of her hospitality. She was so busy serving Jesus that she forgot to be with Jesus. Her mind was filled with anxiety. And perhaps that’s because she had somehow attached her own sense of worth and security to getting everything done just right. She had begun to believe a lie that many of us believe—that our value comes from what we produce, from how much we accomplish, from keeping everything under control. That if we can just check off every box, then we will be okay. Then we’ll be loved. Then we’ll be safe.
But Jesus challenges that. “There is need of only one thing.”
And that one thing is not perfection. It’s not hustle. It’s not having your life in order. It’s not completing your to-do lists. It’s not making everyone happy. It’s not doing everything you are pressured to do. It’s not putting on the best dinner party. The one thing is attention—attention to the presence and voice of Jesus. That’s what God wants. Attention to the love that already surrounds you. Attention to the fact that you don’t need to perform or prove anything to be loved in God’s eyes.
Your work may be important, but it is not your work that makes you important. That is the message we hear when we slow down and listen to the voice of God who is always speaking to us. Sometimes that will require us to stop everything we’re doing and sit down like Mary. And sometimes that will require us to simply practice attention and awareness of God’s presence while we go about our work. But in all times it is an invitation to shift our focus towards the presence of the God who loves us, letting all else fade into the background.
You may be very busy. You may be stressed out. You may be overwhelmed by the tasks that need to be accomplished in your life for your own well-being and for those around you. Your work may be important, but it is not your work that makes you important. So slow down, take a deep breath, and rest in the peace that comes from the voice of Christ who loves you whether you get it all done or not. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
- In what areas of my life am I experiencing stress or overwhelm, and how can I acknowledge these feelings without letting them define my worth?
- Do I find myself prioritizing tasks and productivity over meaningful connections in my relationships? How can I shift my focus to be more present with loved ones?
- What practical steps can I take to listen more attentively to the voice of Jesus in my daily life, particularly when I feel overwhelmed?
- How have I allowed external expectations or societal pressures to shape my sense of value and self-worth? What truths can I affirm to counteract these beliefs?
- In what moments do I feel drawn to “do” instead of “be,” and how can I create space in my life to simply rest in God’s presence?
Thoughts on Faith 