This account of a sisterly contretemps between Martha and Mary has been read differently at different times. It has been understood, for instance, as marking the superiority of the contemplative life, ...

Sunday, July 17, is the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Mass readings: Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5; Colossians 1:24-28; and Luke 10:38-42. Some people, in reading this Gospel about Martha and ...

One of the most interesting relationships in the Bible is that of Martha, Mary and Lazarus of Bethany with our Lord. Clearly their relationship was special because it is mentioned in all four of the ...

Too often this passage, in which Martha complains about Mary not helping with the diakonia (work or ministry, by the way, not cooking, as it is often portrayed), has led to the denigration of the ...

Christianity and Literature, Vol. 65, No. 4 (September 2016), pp. 473-489 (17 pages) Abstract The traditional interpretation of the story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38–42) represents the sisters as ...

The first reading and the Gospel offer us examples of hospitality and discipleship that should inform how we relate to one another and to God. Abraham, Mary and Martha exemplify attitudes and actions ...

One of my father's favorite sayings was, "If all else fails, read the instructions." That humorous advice is insightful in its analysis of human behavior, and its subtle underlying message is ...

The Rev. Michael Heath, of Fayetteville, is a licensed mental health counselor and a United Church of Christ minister. Holiday gatherings can be difficult. The biblical story of Mary and Martha (Luke ...

Elizabeth Schrader Polczer is assistant professor of New Testament at Villanova University. Her research focuses on textual criticism, Mary Magdalene, and the Gospel of John. Hear the full version of ...