Bible
Study: 1st John 4, 7 to 16 and John 11, 19 to 27.
As our readings today point out,
Saint Martha whose feast we celebrate today, was one of the close friends of
Jesus Christ. If you recall, not too long ago, a particular Sunday’s Gospel
passage was about how Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha who were
sisters of Lazarus. And while Mary sat at the foot of Jesus listening to him,
Martha was busy with all the serving.
Martha was one of the disciples of
Jesus in that even though she was not among the official list of the twelve,
she was a companion of Jesus. She was one of those who ensured that Jesus,
being a human being had food to eat. Just like Mary, Martha was a close friend
of Jesus. Her closeness to Jesus is seen in her open conversation with Jesus in
today’s Gospel passage when Jesus visited their home four days after the death
of her brother Lazarus.
“If you had been here (earlier), my
brother would not have died. And even now, I know that whatever you ask from
God, God will give you.”
This is a very powerful statement
that reflects not just Martha’s love for her brother but a strong faith that
death is not beyond the power of God. EVEN NOW, meaning, it is not too late.
Even now, I KNOW, that is, with certainty, not I guess, not I feel. But I know
that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. This strong faith in God’s
ability to do the impossible is one thing we should learn from Martha. She was
so sure that Jesus could still do something.
When Jesus asked if she believed in
him, her response was: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son
of God. He who is coming into the world.” For Martha to have said this even
before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead shows she was not like Thomas who
wanted to see first before believing. Again, if you notice, these words of
Martha are the same words Peter spoke that merited him the title of head of the
Apostles and the rock on which Christ built the Church. In other words, Martha
could just have been the First Pope.
In Martha, who cooked for Jesus we
see a combination of strong active Faith and Love. She did not look down on
Jesus because he was a constant visitor to their house neither did she treat
him as some untouchable deity. She related with him freely and lovingly. No
wonder our first reading this morning is taken from the first letter of John
which encourages us to love one another. For us to love, we must first see
Jesus in our fellow brothers and sisters and relate with them just as Martha
did.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, help me to love
you and work for you as I prepare for harvest time. Amen.
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