At Bethany by Catharine Shaw (1925)
The narrative centers around the household of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in the village of Bethany, a place where Jesus frequently visited. The story highlights the contrasting approaches of Martha and Mary towards Jesus' visit. Martha is depicted as industrious and eager to serve, bustling about to prepare a meal for Jesus and His disciples. In contrast, Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet, listening intently to His teachings. Martha becomes frustrated with Mary for not helping with the preparations and appeals to Jesus to instruct Mary to assist her. Jesus gently rebukes Martha, emphasizing that Mary has chosen the "good part" by prioritizing spiritual learning over worldly concerns. This interaction underscores the importance of spiritual devotion and the value of focusing on Jesus' teachings. The narrative conveys a lesson about the significance of prioritizing spiritual growth and the eternal joy it brings, over the distractions of daily life.
By Catharine Shaw · First published 1925 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Inspirational, Biblical Retelling · 459 words
First lines
There seems to have been one home especially where the Lord Jesus loved to visit.
We hear a great deal about the people who lived in this home, perhaps more about them than any other of the friends of Jesus.
Their names were Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
One day the Lord Jesus was going about healing the sick, and teaching people about His Heavenly Father, and in His journey He came to the village of Bethany, where Martha and Mary and Lazarus lived.
What this Textopian page supports
At Bethany is listed on Textopian as a short story by Catharine Shaw, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Catharine Shaw
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Fiction, Inspirational, Biblical Retelling, Didactic, Historical Fiction
- Length: 459 words
- Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for At Bethany by Catharine Shaw
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Religious Fiction — The narrative is based on a biblical event, centering on characters and teachings from the life of Jesus, which is the core aspect of the story.
- Inspirational — It emphasizes moral lessons and spiritual reflection, encouraging readers to prioritize listening to Jesus over worldly concerns.
- Biblical Retelling — It adapts a well-known biblical story, presenting the events of Bethany in a format that reconnects modern readers with traditional scripture.
- Didactic — The text is structured to impart specific lessons through the contrasting behaviors of Martha and Mary, underlining the spiritual guidance of Jesus.
Tags
historical fiction · religious fiction · inspirational · spiritual journey · themes of faith · redemption · community · biblical references · period drama · character-driven · family saga · resilience