Word to the Wise
Friday, July 29, 2022 - July 29 - St. Martha
[Jeremiah 26:1-9 and John 11:19-27 or Luke 10:38-42,678]Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." [John]
JULY 29 STS. MARTHA, MARY & LAZARUS
The character of Martha is remarkably consistent across the two gospels that mention her. The Gospel According to Luke, which records the story of Jesus' visit to her home, presents her as a vocal, active and rather extroverted person, in contrast to her sister, Mary, who seems more introverted and contemplative. Mary's position as a disciple is praised in contrast to the busy-ness of Martha. That story is given in the alternative gospel for today. (cf WTTW for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time). The dialogue in the passage from the Gospel According to John has an entirely different purpose. Martha is still active and vocal and Mary still stays seated but Martha's dialogue with Jesus concerns ultimate faith.
As in so many of the encounters in the Gospel According to John, the one in today's passage begins with a misunderstanding which Jesus corrects, resulting in a profession of faith on the part of the other person. Martha at first seems to regard Jesus as someone who is favored by God. Jesus' reply about Lazarus rising again is misunderstood by Martha who shows her belief in a final resurrection. Jesus corrects her by saying that faith in him is the equivalent of resurrection and the beginning of eternal life!!! Martha then makes a profession of faith: "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."
Martha's profession of faith can be compared to that of the Samaritan woman (John 4), the Man Born Blind (John 9), and those of Mary Magdalen and the apostle Thomas (after Jesus' resurrection - John 20). If Jesus is the one whom God has sent then all things are possible with him. Human death takes on an entirely different meaning since eternal life begins with belief in Jesus in THIS life. Jesus' question to Martha and to us is the important one: DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? What is our reply? AMEN.