Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, Henryk Siemiradzki, 1886. Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Questions

-Who do you see in this painting?

-What are the feelings and emotions on each person's face?

-What do you think Jesus is teaching Mary right now?

Reflection

I thought that we would start this reflection by reading through the Gospel passage that accompanies this painting:

Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

-Luke 10:38-42

How often do you hear your own name? If you are like me, you often don't. Or if you do it is "mom" instead of being called by your name. Having a name like Madeline, I often only hear people call me Madi or another nickname. But hearing your actual name? Now that is powerful.

Martha experienced the power of having the Lord Himself call her name. This was not a demeaning or name calling when you are in trouble, but a call of awareness. When someone who loves you says your name aloud, it makes you stop and listen. It makes you be aware of what is going on around you and tunes you into the person who is calling. The Lord wanted Martha to stop what she was doing and be aware of the situation that she was in. He wanted her to be aware of the person that she is and the people around her. These important relationships in our life are more important than the things we need to get done or having to meet every anticipated need. Seeing the person in front of us and becoming fully invested in them for that period of time is such a gift and a skill we all can grow in. Jesus wants us to experience Him in our prayer lives but also the people around us. He is calling out to us by name, personally and individually and uniquely and beautifully, in the way that we need to hear it. He calls to us us so that we may stop and recognize Him whether that be in the Eucharist, our friends and family, or a stranger that we encounter. Listen to Him calling your name and be aware of how He wants you to stop and encounter Him.

It is increasingly easy to get caught up in what needs to be done and what you are doing. We could go through our whole lives without being aware of why and how we are doing something because we are so caught up in the what and getting it done. Our tasks, duties, and even our goals and dreams can become a to-do list of mindless tasks to reach some end. Mary probably felt like her hospitality was a checklist to get done and anticipating the needs of her guests so that they would have a good time. Perhaps she did not have much time to prepare or she felt like she could not rest until everything and everyone was taken care of. I myself have felt like this often. But we must remember that the end of our tasks is not to check them off the list. Our hospitality is not becoming fully devoid of our own needs. Hospitality is welcoming one into your life and space, even and especially when it is not perfect. Inviting someone into the messiness of everyday life is a gift to someone and they will still feel loved even if you do not have the perfect charcuterie board or cleanest floors or children's toys all put away. People feel your hospitality when you welcome them in and are able to tune out all of our tasks and be with them. You can still care for them and offer them what they need, but if people come to visit it is for you. You are the reason they are there, not to be entertained, wined, and dined.

An important part from this Gospel passage is that Jesus does not tell Martha she is wrong for doing what she is doing. The tasks that she is doing are important and need to be done. What Martha tripped up on was her priorities. Her priority was not Jesus, who Martha herself will call "Lord" after her brother, Lazarus passes. Martha and Mary were both doing wonderful things, servant-hearted things that have their place in the Christian life. We need both action and contemplation to bring the Kingdom of God into our hearts, homes, and the world. As the laity, it is important that we live in this tension of both an active and contemplative part of our lives. This contemplation could be prayer, mass, adoration, quiet time in nature, choosing to shut off the television and read a spiritual book, or even putting our phones away and being present to those around us.

This last one I am more aware of the importance of being present to those around me, especially my child. When I am fully present to my daughter, I notice more about her. I see her needs, struggles, joys, sorrows, questions, explorations. When I am fully present to family and friends, I am listening more than I am talking. This contemplative approach to my relationships allows me to be aware of the Spirit moving and working in my life and theirs. Martha's action was good and we can make our active lives good too, when we make it part of a relationship. I can be detached from my duties so I can drop them if my child or husband need me. I can invite a friend into accompanying me on errands that I must get done. I can set a chair in the kitchen so that the conversation does not need to stop when I am doing the dishes. My presence and awareness of others can look a variety of different ways, but it is all about the intention and freedom to do so.

Mary chose the better part because she was not anxious and troubled. I struggle in the same ways that Martha does with her anxiety, troubled attitude, distraction, and frustration. As a stay-at-home mom I often feel like my work goes unnoticed by so many and it is easy to feel forgotten at times. These feelings can turn me in on myself quickly and I suddenly have chosen a bad part. I can do my duties but if it is not with the right attitude and outlook, my work does not purify me or bring me to union with God. It instead further separates me from God, making my journey towards heaven just a little harder and needing a bit more purification. Our actions are purified when we let go of our anxieties and troubles, allowing the Lord to lead her decisions and actions. I am sure this is what Martha did after the Lord called her attention to it. When the Lord calls attention to our shortcomings, we should be open to the loving critique and change. This change is for our own good, holiness, and relationship with God. I am sure Martha was less distracted by her tasks and more attentive to the person in front of her. She may not have been frustrated at her sister Mary for not helping, but instead joined her at the feet of Christ to listen to Him. We are invited to do the same - to drop the anxieties, comparisons, and distractions and have open ears and hearts to what Jesus has to say.

Information

This painting you see Jesus Christ, Martha, and Mary in a very natural and realistic setting. Mary is at the feet of Jesus, totally enamored with what He is saying. Her hands are almost folded, like she is actively praying with what Jesus is saying. She is sitting on the floor, while Jesus is seated above her. This is a typical way to show that Jesus is in a position of teaching and authority, which Mary easily recognizes. We do not know what Jesus is telling Mary, which increases our curiosity and interest in the piece. Martha is off in the background, busy with her duties. She looks like she is trying not to go over there, as if she wants the distance from her sister and Jesus. Knowing what we do about this Gospel, I think this painting does a wonderful job at portraying the emotions, actions, and movement of the scene. The setting is very realistic and looks like it could be set in Bethany, Israel where Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived. We can almost imagine the light breeze flowing through the plants and trees, cooling them off in the hot summer sun.

The artist Henryk Siemiradzki was a Polish painter who made his living in Rome. His other works are in a similar style of this, showing scenes from ancient Greece, Rome and the New Testament. The art pieces themselves tend to be quite large, being several feet in length and height. He is also known for a psychological realism in his paintings, which really draws us as the viewer into it. We see the movement of the scene, where the people have been and where they are going. This movement makes us wonder what the subjects are thinking and feeling, as well as how they are interacting with one another. This painting is a wonderful example of that. Knowing the Gospel just adds to our understanding of what is going on in the painting, but there is still a lot left unknown and for us to imagine. Praying with this image can be a real opportunity to use visio divina or Ignatian style prayer to imagine their thoughts and feelings, as well as how we can identify with each person in the painting.

This painting ended up in Russia because Henryk studied in Saint Petersburg at the Academy and resided there for a time afterwards. It is a bit unfortunate because since it is there, we do not have a lot of information about the painting or Henryk himself. Most of his biographical information are in another language, whether it be Polish or Russian. Many artists end up like this, where they are fairly unknown except for a few major art pieces. These art pieces become a sort of biographical piece of information, an opportunity to have a snapshot of what their life was like in that moment of time they created it. Comparing this piece to his other works, it is even more special that this piece is so tender and a moment of conversion, not just the Greek and Roman violence which pervades the other art subjects of his work.

More Question

-When do you feel more like Martha? Like Mary?

-Have you heard the Lord say your name before? How can you make space for this?

-In what ways is the Lord calling you to purify your actions?

-How can you bring more contemplation into your life?

Let us pray -

Lord, thank you for calling us by our names. You knew me before I was knit in my mother's womb. Increase my receptivity to your loving, personal call in my life that existed from the moment of my existence. May we be like Martha, who serves and sees the needs of those she loves. May we be like Mary, who will always see who is in front of her and listens with intensity and love. Thank you for this family at Bethany to show us how to love and learn from our family. Help me to not have any anxiety, troubles, comparison, frustration and distractions from you, Lord. You are the good portion which I always want to choose.

St. Martha, pray for us! St. Mary, pray for us! St. Lazarus, pray for us! Friends of Jesus, family at Bethany, pray for us!

Amen.