Today July 29 we celebrate St. Martha worldwide.. She is know as patron of housewives! We all know the role she plays in those days as written in the bible... she made meal for Jesus and sat at the feet of Jesus, used her hair and oil to clean and rub Jesus feet..... what a bounty blessings she received! Today we celebrate her memorial as Saint of the world and Catholic Church.
Biography of Saint Martha
Feast Day: July 29th
Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. They lived in the little town of Bethany near Jerusalem. They were dear friends of Jesus, and he often came to visit them. In fact, the Gospel tells us: "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary and Lazarus." It was St. Martha who lovingly served the Lord when he visited them. One day, she was preparing a meal for Jesus and his disciples. She realized that the task would be easier if her sister would help. She watched Mary sitting quietly at Jesus' feet, listening to him. "Lord, tell my sister to help me," Martha suggested. Jesus was very pleased with Martha's loving service. However, he wanted her to know that listening to God's Word and praying is even more important. So he said gently, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part."
St. Martha's great faith in Jesus was seen when her brother Lazarus died. As soon as she heard that Jesus was coming to Bethany, Martha went to meet him. She trusted Jesus and felt the freedom to say: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Then Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise. He said, "He who believes in me, even if he die, shall live. Do you believe this?" And Martha answered, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world." Jesus worked a great miracle and raised Lazarus from the dead!
Later, Jesus came again to have supper with Lazarus, Martha and Mary. St. Martha served them at table as always. This time, though, Martha had a much more loving attitude. She served with a joyful heart.
Sometimes we don't like to do certain chores. They seem heavy and unpleasant. At those times, we can ask St. Martha to give us a joyful attitude. We can ask her to show us that the littlest thing we do becomes beautiful when we do it for Jesus.
Martha,
Mary and their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends of Jesus.
He came to their home simply as a welcomed guest, rather than as one
celebrating the conversion of a sinner like Zacchaeus or one
unceremoniously received by a suspicious Pharisee. The sisters feel free
to call on Jesus at their brother’s death, even though a return to
Judea at that time seems almost certain death. No doubt Martha was an active sort of person. On one occasion (see
Luke 10:38-42) she prepares the meal for Jesus and possibly his fellow
guests and forthrightly states the obvious: All hands should pitch in to
help with the dinner.
Yet, as biblical scholar Father John
McKenzie points out, she need not be rated as an “unrecollected
activist.” The evangelist is emphasizing what our Lord said on several
occasions about the primacy of the spiritual: “...Do not worry about
your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you
will wear…. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”
(Matthew 6:25b, 33a); “One does not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4b);
“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” (Matthew
5:6a).
Martha’s great glory is her simple and strong statement of
faith in Jesus after her brother’s death. “Jesus told her, ‘I am the
resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will
live, and everyone 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 Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the
world’” (John 11:25-27).
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