Mary Me

I did a sermon recently based on the story of Mary and Martha. Maybe you know the one I mean. Jesus is out and about and is invited to the home of two women (and possibly their brother) for his evening meal and perhaps a good night's sleep. Over dinner, he is teaching the disciples important things that they need to know while the one sister, Mary, sits at his feet and drinks in his every word. Meanwhile, the other sister, Martha is busily getting the meal ready, setting the table, clearing the dishes, doing the dishes, putting away the leftovers, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. Eventually, she got tired of doing all the labour while Mary got all the goodies. She tried to drag Jesus in on her side by asking him to tell Mary to get off her fundamentals and do some of the work. Surprisingly, Jesus reproved Martha and said that Mary was doing what was important.

The nice thing about Jesus is that he is always surprising people. Well, that may not be the nicest thing about Jesus but it is one nice thing. Just when you think that Jesus is on your side, he will pull the rug out from under you every time and set you back to your fundamentals. The United Church was founded out of a very sincere desire to do the right thing. It was reasoned that if the Christian churches could just stop fighting among themselves long enough, they might actually accomplish something on behalf of the poor, oppressed, and downtrodden. Also, if they joined together, they would have more resources and be stronger so they could accomplish even more. The Presbyterians, Methodists and Congregationalists weren't running scared. They weren't experiencing the kind of post-modern crises that churches face today. They were running toward a goal of greater good for all. It was a noble endeavour. And they were running with the assurance that their membership were well grounded in the basics of the faith and pretty well in accordance with, if not orthodoxy, at least consensus.

Over the 85 years since Union, the UCC has a great track record of being on the side of those who very much needed someone on their side. In my brief couple of decades they have taken on apartheid, nuclear disarmament, capital punishment, aboriginal rights, Palestinian freedom, rights for the gay, lesbian and transgendered community, and probably lots of others that I've already forgotten about. Their success rate is not high but that isn't the important thing here. In championing these causes they have tried to "do justice and [show] mercy" just as the Bible asks. We have been excellent Marthas, busily going about the practical realities of easing human suffering. We have worked hard, dedicated ourselves, and stood in solidarity with everyone from Cesar Chavez to Yassar Arafat to anyone in the LGT community. They have good reason to be proud of their work.

Martha put on a great meal, kept a nice house, was hospitable and generous to a fault. Mary was different. In the beginning, of the UCC, Mary and Martha was present in most of the membership. After eight and a half decades, Mary is lost in the wilderness. Most of our membership are Biblically illiterate. Many of our candidates for ministry believe that Jesus was, if not a myth, than nothing more than a wise teacher. Many people in church, in the governance of the church, and in the pulpits, don't believe that God exists. They are entitled to their belief. I would extend them the same courtesy I would wish extended to me. Hold it! Where have I heard that before? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think that was how it went.

It seems to me that the survival of the UCC is not going to based on attracting a large number of people who want "spirituality" and not "religion". The plain fact is that most of those who require such a division have no real ability to discern one from the other, or to say what religion is actually GOOD for. What they are asking for, it seems to me, is very much akin to the elusive goal of alchemists throughout time. Something for nothing. They don't want responsibility, accountability, orthodoxy or reliability. They just want a church to magically appear when they want it and conveniently disappear when they are done with it. Rather like a prostitute, don't you think? Get what you want, pay for your ticket, and then move on and try to forget about it for awhile. Never was my cup of tea.

If we are going to survive, it seems to me, we are going to have to rediscover and validate the existence of our Marys and the Mary side of each of us. I would rather have a church with twenty Marys than a church with a thousand Marthas all busily getting things done. The only thing the Marys might do is grow in their faith and learn how to love and find some inner peace and all of that is very ephemeral. It's far easier to see concrete results.

Apartheid is dead. Same sex couples may marry each other. First Nations people are beginning to find their voice and non-aboriginals are beginning to listen. I applaud all of these things. I really do. Not as a Christian but as a human being concerned with the welfare of my fellow human beings. My Christian faith is concerned with none of these things. It is only concerned with my relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I'm not even concerned about YOUR relationship with God because my own gives me enough headaches, thank you. I don't require that everyone believe as I do. I am in awe of the Marthas in our congregation in Stoney Creek and in the wider church and throughout the history of the church. I just think that if we don't start encouraging the Marys among us, we are doomed to be stuck in the kitchen forever, and never to actually hear our Master's voice.