Mary & Martha David Fuentes (b. 1959)
Lyrics by Nikki Grimes
III. We Each Have Our Part
MARTHA: He is here!
MARY: He is here!
MARTHA: He must be starving
after the long day’s journey
and the constant press of the crowds.
MARY: Do the disciples even understand
how blessed they are?
MARTHA: Mary come! Let us get
dinner on the table.
MARY: I might dwell on the question,
but Martha’s voice is scratching at my ear.
I sigh, and follow her into the kitchen.
MARTHA: Humming, hmmmm . . .
I choose the perfect dishes to fill
with cucumbers kissed with dill,
wild dates, and a tower of olives.
MARY: I have no special culinary gifts,
but I can listen, listen, listen
tell me how many men or women
have mastered that?
MARTHA: I lift light loves from the oven,
Lay them on a serving board
for Mary to carry, for Mary to carry . . .
MARY: In and out of the room
I flit like a ghost
In and out of the room,
then slowly lumber toward the kitchen
and away from the sweet sound
of the Lord’s teaching.
I wonder at the laughter rising from the room
where the men are gathered.
MARTHA: Mary! Ah, there you are . . .
Take these bowls in,
then come back for the cups.
MARY: I nod, I nod,
and do as Martha requests.
I set the dishes on the table,
but linger at the Rabbi’s feet
for a moment or two.
MARTHA: What next?
Ah, the pomegranetes.
Mary can help me press them for juice.
But where is she? Where? Where is she?
I bustle into the front room,
and find her folded on the floor
caught fast in the Lord’s web of words . . .
MARY: I do feel somewhat guilty
for leaving Martha on her own,
but the Lord quickly defends my choice
to pour myself into his presence.
MARTHA: I start to complain,
but the Lord will have none of it.
“Mary has chosen the best part,”
He tells me,
“And it will not be taken from her.”
Silenced by his soft rebuke,
I continue serving.
When I look at Mary,
her eyes are full of the Lord
and I wonder if perhaps, I too
should learn to be more present
more present when the Lord comes calling.
How else will I get to know his heart?
MARY: There are many ways to
ways to be faithful,
Jesus understands this. But do I?
Martha loves the Lord and
shows it by the work,
the work of her hands.
BOTH: Would it be so hard for
for me to serve alongside my sister more?
To be with her more?
Would it be so hard for
For me to learn alongside my sister more?
To learn with her more?
Dy, dy, dy, dy, dy, dy, dy . . .
Forgive me, Sister, forgive me.
I realize we each have our part.
MARY: As disciple I will treasure his word
and learn to draw a map to heaven.
MARTHA: As servant, I will pack our bags
so we are ready for the journey.
BOTH: Forgive me, Sister, forgive me.
We each have our part. Forgive me.