On Wednesday we celebrate the memorial of Saints Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The Gospels present these holy collaborators of Our Lord as being specially regarded by him, St John stating that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” (John 11:5) Whereas Mary is honoured as a contemplative lover of Jesus (she “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching”), Martha is encouraged by Our Lord to the best spirit of service (cf. Luke 10:38-42). Lazarus is, moreover, the object of one of the greatest miracles of Jesus, when he is raised from the dead (John 11). This feast, rare in the liturgical calendar in honouring a family group, gives us a unique example of how prayer and action calls forth a loving response from the One Redeemer of mankind. In preparation for the feast, we reproduce a passage from an Angelus address of Pope Benedict XVI where he reflects the encounter of Our Lord with Martha and Mary as recorded in Luke chapter 10:
Martha and Mary are two sisters; they also have a brother, Lazarus … Jesus is passing through their village and, the text says, Martha received him at her home (cf. Luke 10:38). This detail enables us to understand that Martha is the elder of the two, the one in charge of the house. Indeed, when Jesus has been made comfortable, Mary sits at his feet and listens to him while Martha is totally absorbed by her many tasks, certainly due to the special Guest. We seem to see the scene: one sister bustling about busily and the other, as it were, enraptured by the presence of the Teacher and by his words. A little later Martha, who is evidently resentful, can no longer resist and complains, even feeling that she has a right to criticize Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me”. Martha would even like to teach the Teacher! Jesus on the other hand answers her very calmly: “Martha, Martha”, and the repetition of her name expresses his affection, “you are anxious and troubled about many things; only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Christ’s words are quite clear: there is no contempt for active life, nor even less for generous hospitality; rather, a distinct reminder of the fact that the only really necessary thing is something else: listening to the word of the Lord; and the Lord is there at that moment, present in the Person of Jesus! All the rest will pass away and will be taken from us but the word of God is eternal and gives meaning to our daily actions.
Pope Benedict XIV, Angelus Address, Castel Gandolfo, 18th July 2010.