Saint Martha — Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez
(EWTN) Mary, Martha and Lazarus were close friends and are represented by St. John (Feast Day: 27 December) as living at Bethania but St. Luke (Feast Day: 18 October) would seem to imply that they were at least at one time, living in Galilee, without mentioning the town but it may have been Magdala and we should therefore suppose that ‘Mary of Bethania’ and St. Mary Magdalene (Feast Day: 22 July) are the same person.
There isn’t any doubt that Martha was an active sort of person– On one occasion Luke 10:38-42 Martha is seen preparing the meal for Jesus and served the dinner.
Yet as Biblical scholar Fr. John McKenzie (1910-1991) pointed out, Martha need not be rated as a “unrecollected activist.” The Evangelist is emphasizing what Our Lord said on several occasions about the primacy of the spiritual:
- “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on…seek first His kingdom and his righteousness…” Matthew 6: 25-33
- “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.” —Luke 4:4
- “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” —Matthew 5:6
St. Martha’s great glory is her simple and strong statement of faith in Jesus after her brother’s death: “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” —John 11:25-27
Scripture commentators point out that in writing his account of the raising of Lazarus, St. John intends that we should see Martha’s words to Mary before Lazarus was raised as a summons that every Christian must obey. In Martha saying: “The Teacher is here and is calling for you,” John 11:28
Jesus is calling every one of us to resurrection–now in Baptismal faith, forever in sharing His victory over death and all of us, as well as these three friends, are in our own unique way, called to special friendship with Him.
Related: For Today’s Bible Readings on the ‘Memorial of St. Martha’ Visit: -USCCB