The (deleted) parable of the two sisters

And Jesus saw that his followers were weary, so he bade them sit in the shade of an olive grove and rest awhile. While they were at rest he began to teach them.

There were two sisters who were also neighbours. The elder sister worked hard all day to keep her fire burning to bake bread for her husband and her sons.

Every day, the younger sister watched as her sister laboured. When the elder sister’s husband and sons left early in the morning for the fields, she would go out to gather fuel. 

One day the younger sister called out, “Sister, why do you leave your home so early?”

And the elder sister replied, “I must have fuel to stoke my fire.”

And the younger sister said, “You have ten days of fuel in store. Sit with me that we might grind grain together.”

But the elder sister did not listen.

In the  midday sun,  the elder sister would stoke her fire to a fierce blaze.

And the younger sister called out, “Sister, you work so hard in the heat of the day. Your fire blazes when there is no use for it.”

And the elder sister said, “If I do not stoke the fire, it will go out and my husband will be angry.”

Her sister replied, “There is enough breeze to blow on the embers and keep the fire alive. Come sit with me a while and I will draw water from the well that we might drink and rest.”

But the elder sister did not listen.

In the afternoon, the younger sister called out, “Sister, your bread is ready for the fire. Come sit with me and sing songs of praise.”

And the elder sister replied, “I will not sing with you, for soon my husband and sons will return from the fields and all things must be ready.”

And the younger sister said, “I too must prepare food for my husband and my sons. But how much better will I work if I am rested.”

But the elder sister did not listen.  And in both households, their families were fed but the elder sister was weary from her labours.

Then Jesus asked his disciples which of the sisters served her family best.

But when they heard of this,  the Scribes and the Pharisees and all those in authority were angered by this question and began to plot against him.

Rosemary McBryde