Martha (YAY!) Dragon (ROAR!)

Proper 11, 2019

Readings, here

Note, that much of this sermon (apart from the narrative) was somewhat extemporaneous, this gives a sense, but does not reflect particularly well the experience of the sermon. This is a good reminder, that sermons are a lived art form that are best experienced in the moment and in person...

So, 

First, I unpacked Mary and Martha of Bethany, in Luke and in John.

The Luke, we heard today. Mary listening, Martha working to provide hospitality to their esteemed guest…

Then, we discussed Lent madness—the desire to see Martha triumph, because she’s done what we think is “the right thing”.

Yet, we know full well that both our needful…

The listening and the doing.

But, what I find astonishing, is this desire to have Martha come out on top—the desire to make Martha the hero of the story, seems universal.

Because, as I considered the preacher’s job of building a bridge between the scripture, and our experience of the world in the here and the now.

I found myself curious, about how our ancestors in the faith sought to build those bridges.

Which took me to the early hagiographies, the lives of the saints…more specifically, the Golden Legend—an early hagiography from the 13^th century.

Where Scripture leaves off, tradition steps in. We are told that Saints Martha, Mary Magdalen, and Lazarus went to southern France in A.D. 48, where St. Mary Magdalen retired to a life of penance, and St. Lazarus acted as Bishop of Marseilles. St. Martha's life in Europe was a very interesting one according to the Golden Legend.

So, today, I bring to you, the story of St. Martha and the dragon!

But, before I begin, a moment of instruction—whenever I say Martha’s name, I want you to cheer. Whenever I mention the dragon, I want you to roar.

Let’s take a moment to practice.

Once upon a time, there were three bears, Martha.

It was a dark and stormy night, Dragon.

Martha.

Dragon.

Okay, I think you have it now! Let’s begin

After the ascension of our Lord, when the disciples were departed, she with her brother Lazarus and her sister Mary, also S. Maximin which baptized them, and to whom they were committed of the Holy Ghost, and many others, were put into a ship without sail, oars, or rudder governail, of the paynims, which by the conduct of our Lord they came all to Marseilles, and after came to the territory of Aquense or Aix, and there converted the people to the faith. Martha

was right facound of speech, and courteous and gracious to the sight of the people. 
 
There was that time upon the river of Rhone, in a certain wood between Arles and Avignon, a great dragon,

half beast and half fish, greater than an ox, longer than an horse, having teeth sharp as a sword, and horned on either side, head like a lion, tail like a serpent, and defended him with two wings on either side,

and could not be beaten with cast of stones nor with other armour, and was as strong as twelve lions or bears; which dragon

lay hiding and lurking in the river, and perished them that passed by and drowned ships. He came thither by sea from Galicia, and was engendered of Leviathan, which is a serpent of the water and is much wood, and of a beast called Bonacho, that is engendered in Galicia. And when he is pursued he casts out of his belly behind, his dung, the space of an acre of land on them that follow him, dung as bright as glass, and what it toucheth it burneth as fire.

To whom Martha,

at the prayer of the people, came into the wood, and found him eating a man. And she cast on him holy water, and showed to him the cross, which anon was overcome, and standing still as a sheep, she bound the dragon

with her own girdle, and then was slain with spears and glaives of the people.

The dragon

was called of them that dwelled in the country Tarasconus, whereof, in remembrance of him that place is called Tarasconus, which tofore was called Nerluc, and the Black Lake, because there be woods shadowous and black. And there the blessed Martha,

by licence of Maximin her master, and of her sister, dwelled and abode in the same place after, and daily occupied in prayers and in fastings, and thereafter assembled and were gathered together a great convent of sisters, and builded a fair church at the honour of the blessed Mary virgin, where she led a hard and a sharp life. She eschewed flesh and all fat meat, eggs, cheese and wine;

she ate but once a day. And a hundred times a day and an hundred times a night she kneeled down and bowed her knees.

Wow. That’s quite a story.

Lots to unpack there as our ancestors in the faith wrestle with the big questions.

Most specifically, the problem of evil.

Dragons in Western Europe were a long-established symbol of evil and empire. The people who originally heard and shared this story would have been clear that the defeat of the dragon was symbolic of the defeat of all evil—both in the micro and the macrocosm.

Martha’s taming of the Tarasque, as it’s known in France, through the use of holy water would have set the listener up to understand that the cleansing nature of the water—the water used at baptism, the water of creation, the water through which the people Israel were led to freedom—was the means by which our human agency could employ a tool sanctified by God.

It also made Martha, who doesn’t come off terribly well in the scriptural passage we heard today—the hero. Good works, perpetuating good works, righteousness and industry a necessary factor in the defeat of evil!

Interestingly, it is the village mob that destroys, but the saint who tames. This is true of several saints’ tales—the saint tames the beast, and the people either destroy it or the saint somehow stops them and the beast becomes an ally. Our Christian heritage includes both violence and abuses, notably the crusades, but it also has a rich history of non-violence.

Note, that Martha does not kill, and that the self denial which she is noted for at the end of the legend, can be understood as a refusal to participate in the exploitation of others for her own gain.

Another aspect of the story to consider. Mary, Martha and Lazarus are fleeing persecution. The ship they set sail in was not sea worthy and it is only by the grace of God that they are able to survive. They are refugees…

And evangelists who bring the good news of God’s love through word and action to the country that has received them.

Imagine the damage the dragon would have done without Martha…imagine the power that evil has if it is not stopped by good people of faith. People of faith who speak and act, through their faith, to put a halt to the powers that would destroy God’s creation and the people of God.

Wow.

That’s a story. Meant to inspire us, through Martha’s witness and power, to stand fast against evil in the world!