Choosing What Is Best (Or, Both/And)

Young at Heart Message
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You may have noticed that the slide background for today’s service seems… perhaps a bit odd.

Or, maybe you didn’t take a hard look at it. If not, it’s an image of a woman facing a dragon, holding a small jar of holy water and a cross.

Let’s look at the image again and explore our curiosity about it a bit, because it is a rather curious image for a church service.
 
I’m excited to talk about this image today because in doing so, I get to tell you a Medieval Legend involving courage, excitement, and, best of all…
 
Dragon slaying!
 
And, if you’re thinking, “what on earth is she talking about?,” you’re about to find out.
 
As I was researching today’s scripture passage and trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to preach on, I came across this legend. Once I found it, I realized I can’t not share it!
 
Before I do, I find these types of stories fascinating, especially as they relate to scripture.
 
There is, of course, value in scripture, but there is also tremendous value in legends, both for humanity and in terms of academic study.
 
So, here is the legend I want to share with you, paraphrased in my own words based on a Christianity Today article by Kristen Padilla because I couldn’t find the original legend, only stories about the original legend.
 
This legend arose late in the 12th century in Tarascon in France.
 
The legend says that after Jesus’ death and resurrection, many of his followers were persecuted.
 
Several followers were placed in a boat in the Mediterranean without oars or sails.
 
Somehow – miraculously – they did not die at sea but instead landed on the shore of France at Marseille.
 
As they travelled north along the Rhône, three baptized siblings (two females and a male) who were in the boat began evangelizing and converting people to faith in Jesus.
 
One of the female siblings was “highly eloquent and clear in speech,” an interesting thing to note of a female in this time period.
 
Eventually, the siblings came to the region of Aix, where they learned of a great dragon – half beast and half fish – living in the woods across the river between Avignon and Arles.
 
The dragon, which had horns and wings and breathed fire, was born of two beasts: Leviathon (as found in Isaiah 27:1 and Job 41:1) and Bonasus (a mythical medieval animal).
 
This dragon hid in the river, drowning ships that passed by.
 
The people of Tarascon implored the “highly eloquent” sister to get rid of the beast, which no man had yet been able to defeat.
 
When she found the dragon, it was in the process of eating a man.
 
She took her opportunity to throw holy water at it, and she held up a wooden cross, freezing the dragon in place.
 
She then tied it with her belt and gave it over to the townspeople, who slayed it with spears and stones.
 
After the dragon was defeated, the woman took up residence in Tarascon, where she was “occupied in prayers and fasting” – praying 100 times daily and eating only once per day.
 
She went on to establish a convent and built a church in honour of the Virgin Mary.
 
In the legend, this woman is like John the Baptist: walking around barefoot while wearing sheepskin, a turban of camelhair on her head, and a belt of horsehair tied in knots around her waist.
 
The woman also ministered through preaching and healing, including raising back to life a young man who had drowned trying to cross the river to hear her preach.
 
This only bolstered her fame in the region.
 
When she placed her hand on people, they received the Holy Spirit, according to the legend, and when she placed her hand on the sick, they were healed.
 
She also cast out demons and turned water to wine.
 
So, who was this woman in the legend?
 
She was none other than Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, and they were indeed the three siblings cast out into the boat with no sails or oars.
 
But Martha is the one that this legend truly holds up as courageous, steadfast, faithful, pious, and holy.
 
Yes, the same Martha that we heard Jesus gently “scold,” if you will, in today’s scripture passage.
 
The Message
 
Why is this story so fascinating to me?
 
Well, first of all, it’s an unusual story for the time period because it elevated a woman and gave her traits that typically were only attributed to men.
 
But, it’s also fascinating because it takes characters we see and are familiar with in the Bible and moves them into other myths or legends which can tell us something about them that we may not get out of the limited Biblical context we see them in usually.
 
It also can be telling to analyze non-canonical stories, legends, and myths that never made it into the Bible, but that were clearly circulating throughout the time period.
 
Today’s scripture is likely very well-known. How many of you relate to this story of two sisters – one of whom is “doing all the work” while the other is simply sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to him?
 
And, how many have learned that Martha is being scolded for prioritizing “doing” things, while Mary gets a pat on the back for sitting?
 
Yeah, that’s what I had always been taught, and it’s often what I read in this passage too.
 
It’s easy for us to relate to that because we all have likely experienced something similar, at work or at home, or both.
 
We feel like we are working extra hard, and someone else is doing the bare minimum, or nothing at all!
 
So, we create a relatable story out of this passage.
 
But I’ve come to learn that, like many stories about Jesus, there are many layers to this story, and we can’t always take it at face value.
 
Much like our dragon story, Martha is clearly wired for what I will call “faith in action.” She subdues dragons, preaches, converts people to faith in Jesus, heals, cares for people, etc.
 
She is a lot like Jesus in this way, so I would find it hard to believe that Jesus would scold or chastise her for being a “doer.”
 
Wherever Martha and Mary appear in legend or in scripture, Martha acts and Mary studies.
 
Martha represents an active faith, and Mary represents a contemplative faith.
 
And, there is nothing inherently wrong with either of these. Jesus himself exhibits both throughout his life.
 
And, we need both types of people in this world.
 
I am naturally a doer – I prefer “active faith.”
 
It is hard for me to slow down and I have to work really hard at “contemplative faith.”
 
On the other hand, I encounter people who are more natural at contemplative faith.
 
I am sure many of you experience this as well.
 
Some people are good at both “active faith” and “contemplative faith.” But, the point is, we need both types of people in this world.
 
The world needs the courage and action of Martha, and the peace and contemplation of Mary.
 
And contrary to popular belief, Jesus wasn’t elevating one type over the other.
 
Yes, I know it sounds like that’s exactly what Jesus was doing, and that’s because that’s what we’ve been taught for most of our lives.
 
This is what we read from the scripture:
 
Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”
 
The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”
 
Immediately we assume that Jesus means that sitting and listening is the best action here.
 
Jesus says it, so it must be what he means!
 
However, what he says right before that line is this:
 
You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary.
 
Jesus is not saying that what either sister has done is bad - Martha serving and Mary contemplating/listening.
 
They have both been good and faithful.
 
Jesus’ concern is that Martha is distracted by many things – in particular, she’s distracted by expressing her displeasure of what her sister is doing (and the fact that her sister isn’t helping).
 
As I said earlier, this is totally relatable! We all feel this from time to time!
 
When she turns to Jesus to essentially throw her sister under the bus, in the hopes that Jesus would take her “side,” she gets a somewhat rude (though gentle) awakening.
 
What she is asking Jesus to do is to choose between two *good* behaviours – and of course, she wants Jesus to tell Mary to help her, thus allowing her to feel justified that what she is doing is more important and/or better than what Mary is doing.
 
But Jesus flips the script on her by telling her that she’s worried about the wrong things.
 
The problem was not that Martha was serving and Jesus somehow thinks that’s bad.
 
The problem is that she was focused on the fact that her sister wasn’t helping.
 
Martha was focused on the actions of her sister and her perceived shortcomings, as opposed to focusing on her own relationship with Jesus.
 
In the words of Jesus from Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
 
It is Martha’s misorientation, not her service or her hospitality, that leads to Jesus’ gentle rebuke.
 
Mary has chosen God as her portion, and that will never be taken away.  
 
Thus, this story serves as a powerful example for us still today.
 
It is equally as possible for us to do right and good things, yet still be distracted by the wrong things.
 
We can, and often do, focus more on the perceived shortcomings of the people around us rather than our own relationship with Jesus (or our own shortcomings, whatever they may be).
 
Sometimes we slay dragons. Sometimes we start monasteries. Sometimes we sit at Jesus’ feet and listen, enjoying the contemplative life.
 
The important work, though, is our focus on Jesus and letting the main thing be the main thing.
 
So, may we be less concerned with the specks of dust in our neighbour’s eyes, and more concerned with the planks in our own eye.
 
May we slay dragons if that is our inclination or call, and may we love and support those who are not dragon-slayers, but whose gifts lend themselves better to contemplation.
 
And, in all things, may we turn toward Jesus, letting the main thing truly be the main thing.
 
Amen.
 
Let us pray:
 
God of compassion, if we are called to slay dragons, help us do so in a way that keeps us safe and honours the people who are called to a different life. And, if we are called to a life of contemplation, help us to open our hearts to Your love as we also honour those who are called to a different life. Help us all to know that whatever we are called to do and however we are called to serve, we do it in your name and with your blessing and grace. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

Works Cited:
​Padilla, Kristen. “Martha: Busy Hostess or Dragon Slayer?” Christianity Today, December 31, 2021. https://www.christianitytoday.com/2021/09/padilla-martha-busy-hostess-theologian-dragon-slayer/. 

Wyant, Jennifer S. “Commentary on Luke 10:38-42.” Working Preacher from Luther Seminary, June 8, 2025. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-16-3/commentary-on-luke-1038-42-6.

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