You know the story: Jesus visits the house of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha (find in Luke 10:38-42). While Martha is bustling around the kitchen preparing the meal, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him teach. Martha complains to our Lord about Mary neglecting her duty and making her, Martha, do all the work. Poor Martha is chastised (and rightfully so) for complaining, and she is told that “Mary has chosen the better part” (verse 42).
In another visit to another house, however, Jesus heals Peter’s mother of a sickness, and she immediately goes into the kitchen to practice hospitality and prepare a meal for Jesus and the apostles (Luke 4:38-39). She is not told to sit at His feet and listen to Him teach.
So Mary chose the better part…but I don’t think that means we are to pray and learn always and never be in the kitchen preparing meals. Mary and Martha both were doing a service to Jesus (but Martha ought not have been complaining about her sister, you see!). Peter’s mother serves the Lord, too, by feeding Him and showing hospitality. As people on whose shoulders it falls to feed our families, there’s no way we can say, “Sorry, guys, it’s time for me to go to Bible class,” (or read Scripture, or pray my Rosary, or, or, or) every time it’s dinner time.
It’s up to us to make sure we are still prayerful in the kitchen, however. I believe that part of a vocation of a wife and mother is to feed her family well – well being healthfully and joyfully. (Dads and husbands, you’re not left out here – we appreciate what you do in the kitchen, too!) When living out your vocation, you are working on your daily duty for the Lord. What a concept – that our time on our feet, chopping vegetables, trying to figure out what coriander is, scrubbing burnt-on scum off a pot because we were distracted and forgot to turn down the sauce…and, and, and…that that time can actually be part of our prayer life, and useful not only for the health of our families, but for the community of believers and all God’s children. !!
Mary and Martha (M&M) Moments are my attempt to challenge you to grow in faith and truly become prayerful both about and in your kitchens.
Here’s the first one: Conscious Thought It’s kind of the foundation for everything I do, so it will be helpful for everyone to read it. At least once.
All the Mary and Martha Moments:
- Can You Decorate for Lent?
- On Lenten Sacrifices
- Capturing Kitchen Prayer Moments
- No Sugar for Lent
- Trust in the Promise of Your Meal Blessing
- Baby Steps
- Entering Holy Week
- Soul First, Body Second
- Kitchen Stewardship = Pray Constantly
- The Sanctity of Life
- Take Action to Protect Life in the Womb
- Quick Clicks for Real Health Care
- Prepare for Lent
- 2010 “What are you Doing for Lent?” Carnival
- Celebrating Lent with Children
- To Solemnity or not to Solemnity?
- Just Food
- Prayer Ideas for Lent and Beyond
Four Pillars of Kitchen Stewardship:
- Kitchen Stewardship: Why Do It?
- Called to be Good Stewards of the Earth
- Stewards of the Food Budget
- Balancing Time, Family and Food
- Be a Body Steward
My Story:
- I’m a Born Conservationist
- What I Learned From my Mother
- Things I Learned Because of Children
- When Friends Visit my Home
- My Time of Insanity (or, The Origins of a Book)
- My Confession: I Have an Addiction
- The Final List: A Year of Changes
Advent Daily Dose
Click here for a full list of simple, daily Advent devotions from 2009.
Eucharist Series:
- The Ultimate Traditional Real Food
- How do You Receive the Eucharist?
- The Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast
- Serving Eucharist
- Why We Teach Our Children to be Like Children
A Study for Catholic mothers:
Week One: Call to Sacrifice
Week Two: Vocation of Wife
Week Three: Vocation of Mother
Week Four: Discipline of Children
Week Five: Vocation of the Home
I am the leader of a church group and we are involved in a study right now on a book called “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World”. I stumbled upon this site while looking for a meetless meal for a pot luck at church.
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I love this post! I agree a thousand percent, that as we serve our family, if we do it mindfully and prayerfully and contentedly, we can really be serving and worshipping our Lord at the same time. Great stuff! Now I need to read more of your Mary and Martha moments (when I have a moment
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Katie Reply:
July 7th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Lynn, I hope you get that moment! Welcome – would love to see more of you.
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Hi Katie,
Love reading your info. So much I didn’t know about aluminum…
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I write two-minute, health-related radio segments for our local medical center, and in researching a topic, I found your website. I’m so glad I did! There’s so much here…and it lifts my spirit. I’m not Catholic (good Southern Baptist girl!) but I enjoy your devotions and studies. Keep up the good work….I’m so excited to read more!
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Katie Reply:
June 7th, 2010 at 2:30 am
Karen,
Welcome! So much of our faiths are easily transferable between denominations, and it’s beautiful when we can see the similarities and not focus on the differences. It’s fun to be “found!”
Am I on the radio now as a reference?
I’m trying to work on some 2-minute podcast spots, and they’re a lot more work than they sound! Good for you to do such important information sharing.
Katie
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Karen Reply:
June 7th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Two minutes doesn’t sound like much time, does it? Some days, it might as well be two hours! Our local Christian radio station (KLFC-FM in Branson, MO…they stream live on the web) airs these segments Monday through Friday mornings. I write and produce three-months worth at a time; so far, I’ve written 65 two-minute spots on health topics. I found your site looking for healthy, portable lunch ideas to take to school or the office. Our hospital dietitians give me great input, but when I use information from your site, I will absolutely credit your site…and see if I can drive a few people there. Since I’m broadcasting on a Christian station, that should be a pretty good fit, don’t you think?
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Katie Reply:
June 9th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Karen,
Katie
Aw, thanks!
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Hi Katie,
I stumbled upon your blog whilst looking for information to appease my”soaking grains” dilemma…Thank you sooo much for sifting through all that information, so that we wouldn’t have to!
Anyway, in response to this topic:
I went to an Opus Dei-run elementary/high school (and yes, we had to learn Latin, to better appreciate the songs during Benediction and were “required” to go to Confession during religion class, once a week). We were taught that before receiving Communion, we should pray the Act of Contrition then the Spiritual Communion Prayer :
I wish my Lord to receive You
With the purity , humility and devotion
With which Your Most Holy Mother received You
With the spirit and fervor of the saints. Amen.
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Katie Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 1:28 am
Patricia,
Beautiful!
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I’m tickled that you found me! I’ve heard of that book; I’m sure it’s something I should check out myself. I’m actually putting together a women’s study right now. If you’re interested, you can find it under the “study” tab at the top of the screen. Only the first session is completed with more to come. Did you find a meatless meal here for your potluck? There was a baked bean-type dish at my meatless meals carnival that seemed fitting for a potluck… Hope you come back again!
Katie
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