As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” –Luke 10: 38-42 (NIV)

Luke didn’t tell you  
that when Jesus answered me,  
he put his hand on my back 
and spoke so softly only I could hear. 
I didn’t feel ashamed; 
I felt seen, oddly hopeful.  

And Luke didn’t tell you what came next.  
Jesus got up and helped me. 
I protested. 
“Lord, I’m taking you away
from the others.”

But he laughed and said,
“Did you hear the one about the shepherd 
who left the ninety-nine to look for the one 
lost in the kitchen?”

Mary patted the seat beside her,
and when I sat down, she squeezed my hand.
Then, as we ate and drank,
Jesus repeated every word I missed.

When you find the lost sheep, wouldn’t you hoist it up on your shoulders, feeling wonderful? — Luke 15:5 (Voice)

Credits and References:
St Martha and St Mary Stained glass window from St Andrew’s Presbyterian church in Toronto. Photo by  Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P. Used with permission.
What Luke Didn’t Tell You by Esther Hizsa, 2025
Lost Little Lamb by Matthew Kirkland. Used with permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2025.
The unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013-2025.  http://www.estherhizsa.com