"Longing to be Visited by Jesus"

May 25, 2003
Paula Killough



Today's scriptures and poem tell us about, or allude to, four women - who at
different times and in different ways, serve and show compassion. Jesus
visited them all and changed their lives.  The 4 women were all longing for
healing and were made whole in body, mind, or spirit by Jesus the Christ.

First we get a glimpse of the women of Simon Peter's family, his wife and
her mother. The only reason we are aware that Peter had a wife at all is the
2-verse story of the healing of his mother-in-law.  Peter's wife is not
mentioned specifically, and like many women in scripture she is not named.
I am going to give her a name for today, Ardelis, which is the Greek name
meaning industrious.

 If we look at life from Ardelis' perspective as we are invited to do in
Sandy's poem "The Visit," we find a woman whose husband has ceased fishing
and providing for his family to follow a new prophet.  He is gone all the
time; it is hard to make ends meet.  Ardelis is working extra hard to keep
up, and she probably is caring for children and her elderly mother by
herself.  Some commentaries conclude that Ardelis' house, the house of Simon
Peter, was Jesus' headquarters. This would place even more burden on
Ardelis, as she would be expected to offer the culturally appropriate levels
of hospitality to this group on a regular basis.

She is almost certainly very frightened for Simon Peter and herself.  What
will Ardelis do if Peter is imprisoned or worse, executed for his
activities?  A woman without a man was considered useless in the society of
the time.  Ardelis' future doesn't look promising with the risk of being a
burden to other relatives or cast out entirely.

But suddenly her world changes..  Ardelis' mother is very sick with a fever,
which was likely malaria.  She is unable to rise from her bed.  Jesus comes
to mother and heals her with a touch.  Immediately mother responds by
serving food and waiting on the guests.  In the poem, Ardelis sees who Jesus
really is for perhaps the first time.  She understands the passion that has
possessed her husband to accompany this man, Jesus, and she reaches out to
comfort him

After Jesus visits her home, Ardelis' future will still be uncertain; she
will still have to be practical and watch the flour; she will still be
caring for her family alone.  But she will do these practical things with a
new mind and a new heart.  Her service will be filled with the healing agent
of compassion; her actions focused toward wholeness - filled with love not
anxiety.

Next we move to the story of sisters Martha and Mary, who lived with their
brother Lazarus in Bethany, which was a short distance from Jerusalem on the
slope of the Mount of Olives.

Jesus evidently visited Martha, Mary and Lazarus frequently.  As the older
sister, Martha was responsible for running the household and showing
hospitality to all guests.  This would have been a significant undertaking
when Jesus visited, considering the large entourage accompanying him.  There
would have been the disciples, the core group of women mentioned in Luke 8
who financed Jesus' ministry, and women disciples at a minimum.

In today's scripture, Martha is described as the frenzied host, busy making
all the preparations for the family guests. She is concerned with the
details and doing what is expected as the one in charge.

Mary, the younger sister sits quietly at Jesus' feet, and listens to him
teach.  This is the same Mary who later anoints Jesus with her expensive
perfume.  She is totally caught up in honoring this prophet Jesus and wants
to learn everything she can from him.

In the Luke passage, Martha interrupts Jesus and insists that he tell Mary
to get up and help her. Jesus gently chides her that she is trying to do too
many things at once.  Recent scholarship states that Jesus does not say that
Mary's listening was "better" than the service that Martha was offering;
only that it was also a "good thing."  Jesus suggests that Martha is making
too much of the preparations and should keep things simple.  Jesus assures
both Mary and Martha that they were serving and honoring Him.

I would invite you to close you eyes for a moment. Think about the scripture
and the stories told or suggested of these real human people. What images
come to you?  If none come, just relax in the quiet.  Who do you identify
with in these 2 accounts?  What is your longing for closeness to Jesus?
What do you expect would be your reaction if Jesus and all who followed him
came to your house?  Would you be drawn to prepare a meal, or would you be
more likely to sit at his feet listening?  Hold the image you have received
for a moment longer...then return your attention to the service.

Some are called to be the compassionate practical ones, while others are
beckoned to be the contemplative serving ones.  We are all products of the
Triune God's creative purpose, called to serve others and to honor the Holy
One of Love.  For everything there is a season - both discipleship and
adoration.  These are both high callings, as long as Jesus the Christ is at
the center moving us toward kingdom wholeness.  May it be so.