NOTES: 1] We know from elsewhere that M & M live with their brother, Lazarus, in Bethany, near Jerusalem. 2] Maybe we have a glimmer of a very early 'Home Group' here at Bethany?  3] Martha wants Jesus to 'validate' her cultural role in the kitchen, but Jesus says Mary's breaking social taboo & listening to him is not only OK, but a prerequisite for all our roles.

WARMING UP: What makes for a friendly, welcoming home?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Afterthoughts from, follow-up to last week’s Group? Identify God at work anywhere?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

38-42    Are there certain homes we know we can always drop into, & be welcome? Are there others where we (& our hosts) feel more comfortable if we arrange the visit beforehand? Is there a 'God-quality' we can identify in some homes, but not in others? What makes for this quality? What about the 'quality' of our own home in this regard?

             How clearly are roles defined in our home? Is that the way we think family & visitors see it, too? What kinds of factors lock us into or out of roles in our household? What about in our church? Our community structures? Do we ever feel we're "left to do all the work by myself"? If so, can we see a remedy? Do we ever feel so 'locked into' a role, that we can resent others in theirs? Aren't there enough roles for everyone? Is there a better word than 'role' in our church communities? Can we come up with another word that better reflects our understanding of Gospel?

              Are we ourselves setting apart enough time to 'listen to God'? Does public worship time count, or not count in this regard? Does public worship in itself provide adequate quality of 'listening to God'? If, as some think, the focus of public worship has tended to move from God to the congregation in recent times, has this helped or hindered our listening to God?
Is this a good point along our journey to seek more time apart by ourself, listening to God? If we reach a point where we want to extend our listening to God, can we access all the help we need in this regard?

If we were to write down a list of the things that "worry & distract" us, what kind of things would be on it? How long / short a  list would it be?  Is being 'worried & distracted' just a matter of temperament, something we have to live with, or is there more to it than that? Does such a personal list exist in some form, somewhere, right now? How do we access it, & when? What might Jesus say is the "one thing you need" in our case? Is there some "better part" we have yet to choose?

Do we ever notice any difference in the quality of any 'Martha-type' work we do after we've done some 'Mary-type' listening to God? Does it ever occur to us that others might notice such a difference in us / our work? Is it just a matter of balance? If it is, does the way we're living out our faith strike that balance, or does one end of the scale usually keep tipping in our case? Is there some choice before us that we need to make, & which will not be "taken away from us"? Can we identify ways God might be calling us to be a better Martha and Mary? Who would benefit if we were to do so?