Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the feast of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. There are two options for the Gospel today and both speak to the faith of Martha and Mary. In the Gospel of Luke, we see Mary's faith as "she sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." In the Gospel of John, we read Martha's 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."

Imagine if Jesus was standing next to us and said to us: "“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." And then Christ asks us, "Do you believe this?” How would we answer our Lord and our God? Jesus asks us this probing question to challenge us to reflection on our faith and conviction to believers and followers of Christ. If our answer is other than a "yes", then it is time for us to examine how we are living and practicing our faith.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

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.”

Or

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.”