Martha, Martha

To have one's name repeated twice often carries a special meaning. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus does this with Martha. Pastor Phil Kniss said he wished he could hear the inflection of Jesus' voice as he said "Martha, Martha." Often this story is used to teach the value of worship over work. Pastor Phil suggested an interpretation of the story that gives value to hospitality. Drawing from both Genesis 18:1-10a and from Colossians 1:15-20, Pastor Phil highlighted how deep hospitality becomes a gift that is greatly pleasing to God. But deep hospitality is not agenda- and task-driven. It involves a willingness to let go and be attentive to our guests. Hospitality can draw us from our small vision into a much larger and less predictable world.