July 29 2020 - St. Martha - At the crossroads of faith

What happened in today’s Gospel is not as important as what happened after—what was not recorded in the Scriptures. 

The Lord’s interaction with Martha in the Gospel, isn’t too unlike his interaction with many of the Scribes and Pharisees.  He senses that something is off, and he corrects, instructs, and invites them to change—to metanoia—to have faith. And the Gospels do often tell us how people respond to the Lord. The Pharisees grumble and go off and conspire to kill the Lord. But not with Martha. St. Luke’s Gospel doesn’t describe how she responds, what happened next.

St. Luke leaves Martha at a sort of crossroads. How will she respond? Will she turn her back on the Lord in anger who dared to correct her, will she become resentful for the Lord taking her sister’s side? She has a choice here: what is more important? The housework or prayer? The worldly duties or growing in our love for Jesus?

Every day we are faced with this choice, aren’t we? Do we allow ourselves to become burdened with worldly duties or do we take the time we need to sit at the feet of the Lord?

Again, St. Luke Gospel doesn’t tell us what happened next. He doesn’t tell us about the choice Martha made, as he does with a number of the other characters. But in St. John’s Gospel, when we encounter Martha, presumably later in the timeline of our Lord’s earthly ministry, when her brother Lazarus has died, we see Martha, full of faith, a faith that she lacked in Luke’s story. 

In response to the death of her brother, Martha places her faith in the Lord. “I am the resurrection and the life; who ever believes in me, even if he dies, will live….Martha do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 

The death of a loved one is a sort of crossroads, too. Do we turn in anger toward God, and blame God for taking away our loved one? Or, do exercise our faith, and make a choice to believe in Christ?

As we are faced with many worldly duties today, and perhaps, even with the experience of suffering and death in the world, may we follow Saint Martha’s example, of accepting the Lord’s invitation to change, to have faith, to focus not on what is non-essential, but on Him, the better part, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That all Christians may be open to constant growth in faith, hope, and love. 

For the conversion of all who resist belief in Jesus, for the conversion of hardened sinners, atheists, and agnostics.

That those who grieve may find comfort and consolation in Christ.

For the needs of all the sick and suffering, all those undergoing surgery, and those who will die today.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, all of the souls of purgatory, and N. for whom this mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of the faithful. Through Christ Our Lord.