Memorial of St. Martha
Or: Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Jesus was frequently received at their house in Bethany, and it is recorded in the Gospel of St. John that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (11:5). St. Martha is especially noted for her supplications and her manifestation of faith in the divinity of Jesus just before He resurrected Lazarus after four days in the tomb.
See also:
Mass Readings
First Reading – Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise
and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.
As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents. The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent. Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, “LORD.” Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, “The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!” Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O LORD, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own.” So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 (R. 8a)
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel. R.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever. R.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him. R.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.R.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. R.
Gospel – Jn 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.”
Or: Lk 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.”
Featured Saints
St. Louis Martin, father of a family (†1894). Father of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. He led an exemplary married life with his wife, Blessed Zélie Martin, and was a model Catholic father.
St. William Pinchon, bishop (†1234). Pastor of St-Brieuc (France); ardent defender of the rights of the Church and his flock.
St. Lupus of Troyes, bishop (†circa 478). Monk from the Abbey of Lérins, elected Bishop of Troyes, France. He defended the city from the fury of the Huns. Together with St. Germanus of Auxerre he fought the Pelagian heresy in England.
Blessed John Baptist Egozcuezábal Aldaz, religious and martyr (†1936). Brother of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, who was killed near Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War.
St. Olaf, king (†1030). King of Norway, after his conversion, he attempted to spread the Faith and eradicate idolatry in his kingdom, requesting missionaries from England for this task. But he faced great resistance on the part of rebellious nobles, and was driven from his kingdom and later slain in battle.
Blesseds Louis Bertran, Mancius of the Holy Cross and Peter of Santa Maria, martyrs (†1627). The first two were Spanish missionaries, and the third a Japanese convert, all Dominicans, who were burned alive in Omura, Japan, out of hatred for the Faith.
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