What is the distinguishing characteristic of a victim soul? It is that of being so disregarded in the eyes of men that she is considered to be “nothing special”. St. Martha is one of these souls.
She is part of that line of victim souls who, without any merit of their own, God contemplates, chooses and loves freely: “Jesus loved Martha, Mary her sister, and Lazarus” (Jn 11:5). Martha is the first to be mentioned as being loved by Our Lord.
She was the sister of Lazarus, sister of Mary Magdalene and the one who hosted our Lord Jesus Christ and offered Him repose, cheer, and sustenance… St. Martha, as St. Augustine says, nourished the One who created us, fed the One who feeds us; the Redeemer was glad to be with her. Martha would serve the Divine Master and then clear the table, while He reclined on a divan, His feet elevated, and Mary Magdalene would come and sit by His side, asking questions, which our Lord answered. Later on, Martha would join them and the two of them would converse with Him for hours.
Despite being a truly active soul, St. Martha learned, in the time spent close to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to find true balance in the face of problems. She should be the patron saint of contemplative and active souls, the patron saint of souls who have faith because, through her prayer, she obtained the resurrection of her brother.
