Put Down Your Bucket

This is one of those Gospel passages that can be intimidating to write reflections about because so much has been said already. A popular passage, especially for women, this Gospel story provides a quick sketch of how we ought to prioritize our time. 

As I was reflecting on this reading, I was reminded of a podcast I listened to last year which was talking about a completely different topic, but this phrase stood out at the time and I’ve continued to ponder it: “If it’s raining, put down the bucket.” The story went like this: We are gardeners, working to tend to the garden of our lives. There is a lot of work to do, and one of the primary things needed is water. We can’t control the sunlight, but we can fill a bucket and bring it to our tender sprouts. But, if we get so wrapped up in filling our bucket and carting the water back and forth, we might not even notice when the mist starts to fall. As a gardener, there is nothing more to do at that moment; the rain has come. It is time for stillness. Put down the bucket and let the rain fall.

Applying these thoughts to our reading, Martha was a diligent gardener as she tended to her guests. She was so focused on the proverbial bucket, she neglected to notice the sustenance present. 

I like this way of thinking of this story, because it acknowledges that work is good and necessary. If the gardener left the plants to their own devices, there is the risk the garden would fail. If we leave our spiritual lives to wander or lay fallow, we won’t progress far. We have work to do when it comes to study, prayer, service. However, we cannot forget that God is the master, and there will be times in our lives when we are asked to be still, to wait, to simply be in His presence. He will bring the rain needed to sustain this period. 

But how can we know when to be still and when to work? Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for everything, for work and rest, for laughter and sorrow. What is this moment for - is it for listening with my full attention to my child, or to ask them to wait while I finish preparing dinner so our family can eat on time. Is it to stay late at work because a colleague is in need, or to go home at my usual time to see my family. 

None of these are easy questions and either answer could be correct. It takes prayer and practice to discern God’s will. Martha was doing good work. She was serving her guests, attending to their needs and caring for their physical wellbeing. But in that moment, Mary discerned the better choice by putting down her “bucket”,  being still, and listening to Jesus’ every word. 

By Kate Taliaferro