July 29, 2010
Memorial of St. Martha
By Beth DeCristofaro
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:6)
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 11:27)
Piety
Praise the LORD, my soul; I shall praise the LORD all my life, sing praise to my God while I live.
I put no trust in princes, in mere mortals powerless to save.
Praise the LORD, my soul; I shall praise the LORD all my life, sing praise to my God while I live. (from Psalm 146)
Study
“Martha, Martha.” We are so familiar with hearing Jesus say in Luke’s Gospel, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.” I, for one, relate to Martha -- busy at work and at home being a mother, wife, and a daughter to an 80-year old mother. We go about our days doing the good works that make up our vocations, as care givers for our friends and family members and as active participants in our communities. Being active Christians! Not only do I relate to Martha but I think Martha has a lot to show us how to be disciples.
The first thing she shows us, in that very familiar reading from Luke, is to approach and, speak with honesty to Jesus. "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Jesus hears her and takes her very seriously. Jesus wants us to approach and bring our truest selves to him in our prayer.
However, Jesus doesn’t tell her exactly what she wants to hear but instead tells her what she needs to hear: “There is need of only one thing.” And that one thing is to put ourselves at the feet of God and listen. Jesus points out that her sister Mary “chose the better part.” He doesn’t say the “best” part because, in fact, there are things that need to be done in our lives. The very the fact of living takes doing. But even doing good works by themselves is not the answer. Rather by taking time with and putting ourselves before God each and every day, our actions are formed in step with God’s Word, not our own desires.
And, Martha, the disciple, listened. She heard what Jesus was telling her because the next time we see her, in this Gospel from John, Martha has grown. She again pours out her pain and disappointment, her heart’s desire directly to Jesus: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Now when Jesus questions her, she models for us an answer out of a deep faith and hope in spite of her broken heart. She answers out of the sure belief that "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 is a model of Christian witness to our own faith in God.
Martha’s model of discipleship shows us how to reach out to God for our deepest desires. She demonstrates listening and growing closer to God, becoming so enriched with God’s loving presence that she is confident to speak her faith even in a moment of disappointment and grief.
Martha’s model of discipleship is to say with hope “YES, LORD.”
Action
Read the Gospel from Luke again. Put yourself into the story. Do you see yourself running to Jesus? What do you say to Jesus? Or, are you imprisoned like Lazarus, in a tomb from which you need freedom? What do you say to Jesus? Is there hope in your heart and a conviction that yes, Jesus is your Lord? Can you put yourself at Jesus’ feet and ask him for what you need?
