When going on a late night walk a few days ago, I heard my phone ding, and soon realized I had received a long email from a friend. While still walking, I opened the email and began to read. As I walked and read, I almost stepped right in front of a car. Undeterred, I continued to read. About a half a block further along, with my head buried in my phone, I left the path altogether and walked right into a bush. Gathering myself, I continued on to a slightly more secluded area with a gravel path, reading all the way. All of a sudden, I sensed I should stop, and there fifteen feet ahead was a huge female deer, glaring at me. The expression on this doe’s face seemed to say, “You really do need to pay better attention.” At that, I said, “You’re right,” and put my phone in my pocket. We saluted each other and continued on our own ways.
Many of us who lose sacred focus do not actually operate from an attention deficit. It is rather that we pay the wrong kind of attention, are paying attention to the wrong things, or are paying attention to something valuable at the wrong time. In these days of multiple crises, and with our own personal anxieties, how are we to focus our attention in more redemptive ways? In a story in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is in the home of Martha and Mary. Martha was scurrying around attending to the functions of hospitality, while her sister Mary was sitting “at the feet of Jesus”, absorbing his teaching. Martha was troubled by the apparent inequity of the situation, and told Jesus so. Jesus “suggests” to Martha that she is worried and distracted, while Mary has “chosen the good part.” This story has yielded many sermons dealing with the “tension” between contemplation and active service. I should know. I’ve preached some of them. But perhaps something else is at play here. What if this story is actually a prompt to consider what kind of attention we pay?
The sermon in worship at St. Mark’s on Sunday is titled, “Choosing the Better Part: Moving from Distraction to Reverie,”. Scripture readings are Exodus 3: 1-5 read by Sue Shiffrin, and Luke 10: 38-42 read by Bryan Mitsdarffer. The Chancel Choir will sing, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman. We will have a moment for children, pray and sing hymns.
If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will bejoining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person orjoining on the livestream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 AM, and click on the Live Stream banner.