THE GOOD PORTION

 Sermon delivered on the 7th Sunday after Trinity, the 18th July 2010 by Fr Nicholas J.G. Sykes in the congregation of St. Alban's Church of England, George Town, Cayman Islands.

 Scriptures: Genesis 18: 1-10a             Colossians 1: 15-28S.                    S. Luke 10:38-end

 S. Luke 10: 42b   Jesus said, AMary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.@

 

The importance of good food is fairly evident from the Scripture readings today. And I have to say that as I was preparing this sermon, although I usually do so fasting, on this occasion I started a day earlier than I usually do and so I was conscious of the excellent taste of the lunch I had had. Now apart from the occasional lunch out with someone, my lunches are normally of a rather rough and ready quality, except on the occasions that my wife brings her lunch with me to share; they do not normally go beyond a Nissin or other brand of box soup that you have to put water in and heat. It’s not the most gourmet concoction but it keeps you going until later. But this time it was a box saying Chow Mein Teriyaki Beef Flavour, and it was quite extraordinarily delicious. Certainly, well put together food is important, as nearly everyone in Cayman will tell you, and as certainly Abraham in the Old Testament and Martha of the Gospel would have agreed.

 

In the Old Testament lesson, the association is made between a divine manifestation and a prepared meal. To prepare food for a guest was and is a basic sign of Middle Eastern hospitality, so it obviously can be inferred that Abraham was showing lavish hospitality to his three guests - guests in whom Abraham had perceived the divine Presence. The scale of the meal seems to belie the modesty with which Abraham had described what he was intending to do for his guests - to have, as he had said to them, a little water brought and a morsel of bread. Having obtained their assent to his intention of hospitality he goes on to kill a premium calf from his herd and prepare for them a full meal from it, and one can only surmise how long that would have taken. Having set the meal before them he stands near and waits, as a servant waiting upon his master.

 

All this precedes the great announcement  that the Lord made to Abraham that He would return in a year's time, and that by then Abraham's wife Sarah would have a son. This is one of the great promises that characterise the biblical account of Abraham, who was progressively and in stages told what he should do and what the Lord would make of him. We will recall that he was told to go to a land that he did not know, that he should have descendants, that the land to which he went should become the possession of these descendants, that the descendants would be the fruit of his body and not of his servant Eleazar, and finally that the descendants would be from Sarah his wife. Although great possessions and doubtless great feasting too were part of Abraham’s life, the significance of that life for which it is eternally remembered is that poverty of spirit, so to speak, which enabled him to believe the promises that seemed impossible of fulfilment, because it was the Lord who made them and could make the impossible actual.

 

The Old Testament in a number of passages refers to one’s “portion”. The literal meaning of this term would be a portion of food, but it was used figuratively to mean one’s lot or standing in life. In Psalm 16 we read, “The Lord Himself is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou shalt maintain my lot. The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground: yea I have a goodly heritage.” In Psalm 73  we read, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” And we remember the story of Esau and Jacob in Genesis, where Esau sells his birthright portion for a food portion. And so Jesus is not by any means being dismissive of Matha’s efforts in serving him and those with him something of a feast, when he says that a better “portion” lies in close attention to the Lord and fellowship with Him, just as the Old Testament said. We remember too that Jesus had a rather different perspective over matters of food than those around him, including his own disciples. Food might have its own importance, and He Himself, in contrast to John the Baptist, was said to “eat” and to “drink”, but it should take a second row in the seating, so to speak. This is why a definite discipline of fasting or abstinence will always remain important for Christian discipline, just as it has over the centuries. We need to be reminded always that there are other things that are more important to us than what the body cries out to us for. The portion of food pleasure is indeed to be appreciated and given thanks for, but the portion that is to be sought above all is that of God Himself. For this reason, Jesus said that it was Mary that had chosen the truly good portion, in sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to His teaching.

 

CS Lewis used to say that the idea that Jesus was a good man but not God is not open to us for acceptance. This word by Jesus to Martha is a good example of this. A good teacher who was not God would perhaps have said to Mary, Go and help your sister now, and then come back to me after the meal. But as especially S. John makes clear, Jesus was always conscious that the words He uttered came directly from the Father. His teaching was indeed God’s teaching, and it would amount to idolatry to put that teaching behind the preparation and serving of food. No doubt that was why Jesus on another occasion did not send the crowds home and was called therefore to feed the 5000.

 

This relationship between the Father and the Son, one that is set out for us in words of great logic and clarity in the Athanasian Creed, is illustrated in S. Paul’s epistle to the Colossians. Jesus Christ is “the image of the invisible God.”, says the Apostle.  The Son is the Father’s agent in creating and sustaining the universe. Also He is the Head of the church. These positions and functions belong only to God, but they are assigned to Jesus the Son. And through the Son, God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things.

 

It is never made really explicit in the Old Testament whether the “three men” who accepted Abraham’s hospitality were indeed manifestations of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, or whether they were the Lord and two angels. However, Jesus’ words to Martha about Mary having chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her, neither to go and help Martha in the kitchen, nor for all eternity, are completely consistent with the words of S. Paul that Jesus was and is for eternity, the image of the invisible God. Like hospitable Martha, Abraham prepared a feast for His Lord. Like the attendant and expectant Mary, Abraham waited upon the Lord for His Word and promise. It is for us now to be the inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to prefer this inheritance over all else.