"...which shall not be taken away from her."

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." (Lk 10.38-42)

I read this familiar story this morning and it fit so well with recent thoughts and experiences. Martha's suffering is not the suffering that teaches obedience. It is the burden we lay on ourselves, pushing ourselves, exerting our own will (even if what we do is considered virtuous). Our own decision about what "needs" to happen distracts us from paying attention to what Jesus is doing. The oppressive feeling of weight on us is the sign.

Mary is free from the demands of what ought to be done. She is free from the responsibility of the moment. Jesus holds the moment for her, she is his.

But Martha holds the ethical high ground; she seems to have every right to demand Mary's participation, her back sharing the weight. Yet Jesus says that what Mary has found "shall not be taken away from her."

Shall not. Jesus suspends the ethical demand in his presence, will not let it be made oppressive. Mary has found the one thing, the one person, the One, who she can focus on without forgetting or neglecting anything important for her or for those she loves. (In Mary's choice, Martha also is served with what she needs.) And no one, and no circumstances, can take this away from her; no necessities exist for her when her attention is focused on him.

"The good portion shall not be taken away from her."