Grace and Space

Lk 10:38-42
How to love God: The narrative about Martha and Mary follows the parable of the Good Samaritan and serves to illustrate the first part of the greatest commandment—love of God—recited by the lawyer in response to Jesus’ counter-question to him regarding what the law says about inheriting eternal life. The parable of the Good Samaritan answers the lawyer’s question about loving one’s neighbor—the second part of the greatest commandment.
Hearing the word of God and doing it is a crucial theme throughout Luke’s Gospel. The doing of the word of God has been illustrated in the most unlikely character—a Samaritan. Now, Luke must balance this doing with hearing, which illustrates one’s love of God.
Mary represents the person who hears the word of God.
Luke portrays her as taking up the position of a disciple—sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to him speak. This is rather astonishing and cannot reflect first-century Palestinian Judaism, but it reveals another Lucan concern—Jesus’ positive attitude toward women.
Mary has recognized that Jesus is the host. He has come to serve her, to share with her the word of God. The position she has assumed—that of disciple, listener—illustrates that she is sharing in the main course before Martha can even get out of the kitchen!
As Luke presents this story, Mary becomes the example of hearing the word of God; she is the embodiment of what it means to love God with all one’s heart, being, strength, and mind. The good Samaritan is the example of doing the word of God; he is the embodiment of what it means to love one’s neighbor as one loves oneself.