Memorial of Saint Martha

Proper for the Memorial of St. Martha [1]

Biographical Information about St. Martha

“Christ in the House of Martha and Mary”
by Johannes Vermeer, 1654-55

Readings for the Memorial of St. Martha

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Note: The Gospel for this Memorial is taken from the Proper.

Reading 1: Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21

Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!

a man of strife and contention to all the land!

I neither borrow nor lend,

yet all curse me.

When I found your words, I devoured them;

they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,

Because I bore your name,

O Lord, God of hosts.

I did not sit celebrating

in the circle of merrymakers;

Under the weight of your hand I sat alone

because you filled me with indignation.

Why is my pain continuous,

my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?

You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,

whose waters do not abide!

Thus the Lord answered me:

If you repent, so that I restore you,

in my presence you shall stand;

If you bring forth the precious without the vile,

you shall be my mouthpiece.

Then it shall be they who turn to you,

and you shall not turn to them;

And I will make you toward this people

a solid wall of brass.

Though they fight against you,

they shall not prevail,

For I am with you,

to deliver and rescue you, says the Lord.

I will free you from the hand of the wicked,

and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

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Commentary on Jer 15:10, 16-21

This selection continues the Prophet Jeremiah’s lament (his “Second Confession"). In these verses the prophet is having a crisis of faith about his own mission. He cries out that he wishes he had never been born (since he was called from the womb to his mission, Jeremiah 1:4-5). Because he constantly challenges the social traditions that are evolving, because he calls for the people to reform themselves and predicts God’s punishment if they do not, he is outcast (“I did not sit celebrating in the circle of merrymakers; Under the weight of your hand I sat alone because you filled me with indignation”).

In response to his lament, the Lord calls Jeremiah to continue his prophetic work. First, Jeremiah himself must repent from his own rebellious way, and return to ritual purity (“If you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be my mouthpiece”). The Lord pledges unfailing support for the prophet’s mission, and ultimate victory over God’s foes (“For I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the Lord.”).

CCC: Jer 15:15-18 2584

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18

R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;

from my adversaries defend me.

Rescue me from evildoers;

from bloodthirsty men save me.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

For behold, they lie in wait for my life;

mighty men come together against me,

Not for any offense or sin of mine, O Lord.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! for you I watch;

for you, O God, are my stronghold,

As for my God, may his mercy go before me;

may he show me the fall of my foes.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

But I will sing of your strength

and revel at dawn in your mercy;

You have been my stronghold,

my refuge in the day of distress.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! your praise will I sing;

for you, O God, are my stronghold,

my merciful God!

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

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Commentary on Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18

Psalm 59 is a lament which alternates prayers for salvation with petitions to punish the enemies of the faithful. The plea for salvation in the psalm strikes a counterpoint to the lament of Jeremiah, who is isolated because of his actions in response to his call to serve the Lord.

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Gospel:

First OptionJohn 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
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."
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Commentary on Jn 11:19-27

Within the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, we see the very human emotions of Jesus. They range from confidence in his relationship with the Father at the end of the story, to the all-too-human grief and fear, as he expresses his concern at what this revelatory event has cost his close friends, Martha and Mary, as they see their brother die. The encounter describes how Martha’s fear and remorse change to faith as she makes her profession of faith (“I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”). This exchange of fear for faith, seen in the witnesses, is the same conversion the Gospel attempts to initiate in the Christian faithful in response to these events.

CCC: Jn 11 994; Jn 11:24 993, 1001; Jn 11:25 994; Jn 11:27 439
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OR

Second OptionLuke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
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Commentary on Luke 10:38-42

In this encounter with Martha and Mary in St. Luke’s Gospel, we see two distinct messages. First, we see the importance of the role of women and Jesus’ attitude toward them. Second, we see the importance of listening to the word of God: "Mary has chosen the better part."

The selection emphasizes the importance of listening to the teachings of the Lord. While in some early texts the Lord tells Martha there is “need for only a few things,” or of one, the message is clear: Mary, in assuming the role of disciple (listening at the master’s feet) has chosen the correct or better role. Martha, concerning herself with the requirements of hospitality (old law) has chosen the lesser.

“Mystically (St. Gregory the Great, Moralia 2, 6): the two women signify two dimensions of the spiritual life. Martha signifies the active life as she busily labors to honor Christ through her work. Mary exemplifies the contemplative life as she sits attentively to listen and learn from Christ. While both activities are essential to Christian living, the latter is greater than the former. For in heaven the active life terminates, while the contemplative life reaches its perfection.”[4]

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Reflection:

Heavenly Father, we humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be calmed through the Holy Spirit.

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

St. Martha’s role in the life of Christ resonates with those who have chosen to take an active role in service to the Church. Whether that role is in the form of lay or ordained ministry, active participation means we have chosen to assist with the labor involved in ministering to God’s people. When we choose that role, we frequently (especially over time) take ownership of the tasks, and when disruptive forces come along, or when it seems we have taken on more than our share, we assume the Martha persona we see in the Gospels.

To place this tendency in the form of analogy, Martha’s sister Mary represents the congregation we serve. They sit at the Lord’s feet, without all the turmoil and distraction of the tasks necessary to serve the guests in which Martha (representing those of us who serve) is involved. There are times when we long for that peaceful place at the Master’s feet. There are times when we would like to go to them and say: “Would you mind helping? There is much work to do here.”

It is at these times we must remember that other role that Martha had in the life of Christ. When Mary and the other mourners were sitting with their brother Lazarus who had died, it was Martha who met the Lord (she met the Lord!) and spoke with him. Not only that, but after she chastised him (completely out of place to complain to the Lord, right? We would never do that), it was Martha who was honored to make the great profession of faith. What an exalted role she played in Christ’s life.

The life and ministry of St. Martha should be a constant reminder to all of us who work for Christ in our time on earth. There will be times when we too become tired and frustrated; when we pray for a little help in doing what we have set our hearts to do for God. Like St. Martha, we are very human and prone to these outbursts. Let us pray that when our work is done, and we at last are face to face with the Lord, we too may be allowed to proclaim to the heavens and earth “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God the one who is coming into the world.”

In this strange year where many of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual communion in prayer:

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ in the House of Martha and Mary” by Johannes Vermeer, 1654-55.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio 403 / 607

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 129.