Chapter 14: A Family - Act Three

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

There was a man with two sisters whom he loved beyond measure.  The youngest went off to spend her birthright on a mess of pottage and sold her family's honor in the process.  The older sister stayed behind, taking up what had been ignored for the cause of pleasure; taking on responsibility for the carelessness of others; acting in grace where none was given.  This woman lost youth, vitality and motherhood and rewon honor for her brother and the family name.  But one day, the younger sister returned.  Her brother rejoiced for their family was now whole and the sisters were grateful, but wounded ... both of them.

We have come to the courtyard of Lazarus' home.  The traveler and Lazarus are sitting, talking quietly and Mary is welcoming the tax collectors, "sinners," Pharisees and the teachers of the law who have come to hear him.  Mary’s sister, Martha, is in the kitchen, preparing food, cleaning dishes, planning and talking to herself... because she is the only one who will listen.

Martha--All right, the bread is baked.  I have enough for twenty...

Mary bounces into the kitchen.  A dozen years worth of lines have disappeared from her face.  She dances instead of walks.  Once again, she is young and carefree.  Martha, however, is old before her time, and far too quiet for such a festive occasion.

Mary--Martha, the ben Levis have come, and their cousins will be here in half an hour. The cousins!  Can you believe it?  Oh, here comes someone else.  Be right back!

Martha--All right.  I can bake more bread.  I have wine and fruit enough for 30.  I need cheese.

When you open your doors to the world, occasionally a few nasty bugs will also fly in.  Ichabod enters and goes directly to Lazarus

Ichabod--Did you know this man goes into the homes of sinners and eats with them?  

Mary sees Ichabod and turns to Martha.  She is less than thrilled.

Mary--Oh Joy. Martha, Ichabod is also here. 

Martha -- I'll need some prunes, then.

Mary Martha, do we have enough food?

Martha--I'm not sure we do, Mary.  Maybe you could help me prepare what we have while I go to the market.

Mary--Oh, I'd love to, but I have to greet the guests.  It's so much fun out there.  Really, come out when you can.

Martha leans against a table and does a slow burn.  The traveler is beginning to teach.

Traveler --Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one lamb.  Won't you leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost lamb until you find it? 

Martha--Lamb!  I forgot the lamb! (she runs to the fireplace and checks, then breathes a sigh of relief)

Traveler--And when you find it, you joyfully put it on your shoulders and go home.  Then you call your friends and neighbors together and say, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep."   I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.   

Martha--I repent.  I repent that I ever agreed to this little party.

Traveler--Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.  Won't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  

Martha--Well, some of us would.

Traveler--...and when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin."   In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Ten years of frustration can make it difficult to rejoice over anything.  The mere fact that others can rejoice in the face of your frustration is infuriating.  Martha explodes out of the kitchen

Martha--Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

In all of her life, no one has ever heard an angry word from Martha; never seen a demonstration of frustration.  The festivity comes to an end.  Mary, stunned and fearful, looks up at Martha while reaching out to the traveler, seeking protection.  He stands and takes Martha's hands, addressing her gently.

Traveler--Martha, you can manage many things, but Mary only  one.  She has chosen what is best for her to do right now, and I will not take it away from her.

Martha bows her head in shame and berates herself in silence.

Martha--I understand, Lord.

Martha returns to the kitchen.  Traveler turns back to the guests and sits down.

Traveler --Let me tell you a story.  

Martha continues to work but without the previous intensity of concentration.  She may not be able to ignore her responsibilities as easily as others, but she is determined to get some scraps from the table.  She moves the kitchen table closer to the door and listens to the story.  Mary, as usual, does whatever she can to block out the current unpleasantness and find her joy.  She turns away from the kitchen and looks down to the floor.

Traveler--There was a man who had two sons.   The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate." So the father, with reluctance but in love, did as his son asked.  This young man then took his wealth and set off for a distant country where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 

This sounds very familiar.  Mary looks up at him.

Traveler--After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he had nothing to live on and no friends to help him.    So he went and hired himself out to feed pigs. But even that was not enough to live on.  It got to the point where he longed to fill his stomach with the food he fed to the pigs were eating, because no one gave him anything.

The traveler bends over, hands clasped and elbows on knees, addressing Mary specifically.

Traveler--One day this young man came to his senses.  He said, “How many of my father's hired men live better than this!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have made a horrible mistake and am not worthy to be called your son; please hire me as the lowest of your servants."  So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and was overwhelmed; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 

The traveler pauses to let this image sink in.  He stands and addresses the assemblage.

Traveler--The son said to him, “Father, I have made a mess of my life.  Don't treat me like a son, but look as me only as a servant.”  But the father ignored his words and said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let's have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

Traveler pauses once again.  Two men begin to weep.  Martha stops working and looks at him.  He turns and looks at her.

Traveler--The older son, however, was in the field when all of this was happening. When he had finished working and headed home, he heard music and dancing as he came near the house.  So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. “Your brother has come home,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”  This made the older brother very angry and refused to go in.  

Martha’s anger rises again.  She turns her head away.  Tears fill her eyes and spill down her cheeks.

Traveler--The servants went and told the father about the situation so he went out and pleaded with his angry son.  “Look!” he said.  “I've given all my life to you, did everything you ever asked without question, and I never asked for anything.  Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”

As the traveler speaks he fulfills a driving desire in Martha to be understood.  She cannot help but return his gaze. Mary, also, has a revelation.  She shifts her attention to Martha for the first time.

Traveler--“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

Martha sighs deeply, looks down at the table, wipes her eyes, and gets back to work.  The rest of the party is awestruck by the enormity of the moment.  They all know the history of this family.  They all understand this story.  In the silence, Mary stands and goes into the kitchen and takes Martha by the hand, leading her from the kitchen and to where he is standing.  She motions for her to sit.  Then Mary returns to the kitchen quickly, takes a tray of food, and returns to serve a few guests and finally kneels to serve Martha.  As the sisters consider each other for the first time in many years, Lazarus begins to weep in gratitude