17 Sunday of Ordinary Time year C; Luke 10:38–42
When Jesus visited Martha and Mary, He wasn’t choosing between work and worship—he was showing us we need both. Martha teaches us to serve with love; Mary reminds us to stay close to Jesus. The best disciples are those who welcome others and make time to listen at the feet of the Lord.
Listen to homily here:
When I first started my time in seminary, we had a kind of Christmas party in the recreation room. I was a new seminarian, and as you might imagine, seminary life is a bit unusual. You have all these men living together, praying together, reading the Bible together—so the way we interact and the sense of humour we develop can sometimes be a bit strange to outsiders.
After the party, I stayed behind to help clean up. It was just me and a couple of others—most people had already left. As I was working away, another seminarian walked in. He must have thought he was being funny, and he said to me, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.”
At that moment, that was not the kind of joke I wanted to hear. I felt a flash of anger. I wanted to snap back, “Well, are you going to pick up a broom and help or not?”
Because of that moment, this Gospel story has always been a bit of a sore spot for me. It irks me. Whenever I hear it proclaimed, I feel a bit upset for Martha—she seems unfairly criticized. She’s doing something good and necessary, and it seems like Jesus is scolding her for it.
But the Gospel is the Word of Life. It may challenge us, but it’s not meant to upset us. When a Gospel passage bothers us, it might be because we’re not seeing the full picture. That’s certainly the case with today’s reading.
This Gospel should not be read as a criticism of those who work hard or are busy. What Martha is doing is extremely valuable—she’s welcoming Jesus into her home. She is offering him hospitality. And hospitality, as we see in today’s first reading from Genesis, is one of the key virtues in the biblical tradition.
In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomes three mysterious visitors. We, the readers, are told it is the Lord, but Abraham doesn’t know that. For him, it’s simply three travelers who appear at his tent. He responds with extravagant hospitality—offering food, water, rest. He treats them with reverence and generosity.
This becomes a kind of test for Abraham: will he welcome these guests, even without knowing who they truly are? And he does. Because of this, he and Sarah receive a promise—the promise of a son, Isaac.
This story teaches us that hospitality matters. As the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb 13:2). Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor, has a piece in St. Peter’s Square titled Angels Unaware. It depicts migrants from all over the world, with angel wings hidden among them—reminding us that in welcoming others, we might just be welcoming Christ.
So if Martha is doing something good and holy, why does Jesus say that Mary has chosen “the better part”?
To understand this, we have to look closely at what Mary is doing. She’s not merely relaxing while Martha works. Luke tells us she is “sitting at the feet of Jesus.” In biblical language, to sit at someone’s feet means to be their disciple. In Acts 22:3, Paul says he was educated “at the feet of Gamaliel”—it’s a phrase that signifies discipleship.
Mary, then, is choosing to be a disciple. That is the “better part.” It’s not that Martha is wrong to serve—but Mary has chosen to be taught, to be formed, to give her full attention to Jesus. And Jesus praises that choice.
Still, he doesn’t condemn Martha. He simply invites her to remember why she is serving. It’s not enough to be busy—we must also be intentional. Our service must flow from our relationship with Jesus, from our identity as his disciples.
That’s the heart of the message: not a rejection of work, but a call to integrate it with discipleship. We are called to be both Martha and Mary—servants who are also disciples, and disciples who serve.
This is true not only for us as individuals, but also as a community. Hospitality in a parish is essential. Many people who come to our church for the first time tell me later: “I came back because someone made me feel welcome. I felt at home here.” That’s the work of Martha. That’s hospitality in action. And it’s beautiful.
Let us then be inspired by this Gospel—not to dismiss Martha, or idolize Mary, but to learn from both. Let us be people who serve with love, and who sit at the feet of Jesus with open hearts. Let us be disciples who serve.