Luke 10:38-42
Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him.[a] 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s[b] feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, 42 but few things are needed—indeed only one.[c] Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
REFLECTION : Public Engagement
· If I asked you to identify who you thought in Australian history consistently sought to change the type of society we have – who comes to mind?
· implicit in this question is a distinction, an overlapping than antithetical one, not necessarily contradictory and maybe even complementary
· A distinction between who has sought to change the type of our society we have (like Martha?) and those who seek to make our society better (like Mary?)
· let me illustrate with reference to gender issues though could do the same with indigenous issues or homelessness – the distinction works along these lines
· on the one hand some advocate that unless we change the nature of our society women will remain by definition disadvantaged – like equal pay – spirit of Mary
· on the other hand some advocate changing aspects of how we treat women so it will make us a better society – like the provision of more childcare – spirit of Martha
· perhaps this is not the place to have a political philosophy discussion just to say that aspects of our political philosophy will shape our view of the Christian life
· are you Martha or Mary in your politics so to speak – so who do I think have been the engines in Australia’s history providing a social critique to change society
· I would suggest two primary sources: the academy and the labour movement
· otherwise as a primarily middle class society the Australian the social landscape has been predominantly conservative – socially, politically and in its religious mindset
· we have been conservative in the main when asking ourselves how do we make what we have as society better let alone how do we get a different society
· May I would suggest that there has been one significant exception to academy and labour movement as the engine room for better and different Australian society
· This was when the middle classes of Australia actively dressed in a radical garb and sought to change and make our society better – not that one should overstate this
· during the late 1960’s and the arrival of the Whitlam government, built on baby boomer youthful idealism and enabled by the advent of free university education
· for the first and only time in Australian history changing society became a middle class concern
· That short period of the chardonnay socialist set leading the social change charge has been and now faded – present company excluded!
· also today it is fair to say that both the labour movement and academy have been neutered – to put it kindly – from their historical role
· as a by-product of post-Whitlamite & a card carrying post-Woodstockian progressive lefty this leaves me and maybe you somewhat off kilter from the spirit of our times
· not surprisingly I think historically the church in Australia has sought mainly not to change our society but has been part of making us a better society – spirit of Martha
· the exception has been the period following the 1960’s – the church added its voice to changing Australian society – the spirit of Mary seeking transforming change