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A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rt Revd Mary Stallard, Assistant Bishop in Bangor.

Good morning,
My parents named me Mary, but I sometimes wonder if I’m a bit more of a Martha. There’s that famous Gospel story of two sisters who welcome Jesus into their home: Martha’s stressed and irritable, juggling too many tasks that make her fretful and cross. By contrast, Mary sits serenely, listening to Jesus, giving him her complete and full attention. Jesus commends Mary above Martha for having made the better choice. Martha tends to be remembered as a restless activist in comparison with her contemplative sister. Like many, I hear that story and can recognise in myself a tendency to try and do too much, and Martha’s grumpiness certainly feels familiar!

This feels like quite a topical theme in this season with its many opportunities to be endlessly busy, but one of the gifts I find in scripture is that the characters are often vivid and complex. If we follow the whole Gospel story, we find that Martha and Mary appear again a few chapters later, at a time of grief. This time Martha shines in her relationship with Jesus, she expresses a unique understanding of who he is, and shows complete trust in him. This time we see her in a much better light; here it’s Martha who alerts Mary to Jesus’ presence.

The story of these women reminds me of the importance of not only recognising and learning to address our own flaws and failings, but also of making friends with our whole selves and learning to act from the best of our strengths and character.

Gracious God, you call each of us with all our gifts and weaknesses. Enable us to recognise our abilities and our vulnerabilities with gratitude and humility. Help us to offer the best of ourselves to you and to others. Amen