July 29, 2021

Readings for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Lectionary: 404/607

Reading I

Ex 40:16-21, 34-38

Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.

Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey.

Responsorial Psalm

84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11

1.  (2)    How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
   My soul yearns and pines 
       for the courts of the LORD.
   My heart and my flesh
       cry out for the living God.
   R.   How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
   Even the sparrow finds a home,
       and the swallow a nest
       in which she puts her young–
   Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
       my king and my God!
   R.     How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
   Blessed they who dwell in your house!
       continually they praise you.
   Blessed the men whose strength you are!
   They go from strength to strength.
   R.    How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
   I had rather one day in your courts
       than a thousand elsewhere;
   I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
       than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
   R.    How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia

Jn 8:12

1. Alleluia, alleluia.
   I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
   whoever follows me will have the light of life.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

Reflection: CELEBRATING THE HOME-MAKERS

Let us begin with an interesting fact that today's feast is a fruit of a mistake... a mistaken identity in history which equated Mary Magdalene with Mary, the sister of Martha. We celebrated the feast of Mary of Magdala, calculating a week from there, we celebrate the feast of her alleged sister of Mary, that is Martha. It is a happy mistake and we should be happy to celebrate today the feast of this person, who was all preoccupied to express her love for Jesus Christ in every way that she possibly could. Ironically, her sister Mary, whom the Lord said chose the right part, has no celebration specific to her! In today's Gospel from St John, we have the scene of Jesus' arrival after three days of Lazarus' death. Thanks to this passage of John, it redeems the image of Martha as a workaholic and helps us identify in her a person who had a deep understanding of who Jesus was. The affirmations that Martha comes out with shows how practical her faith in Christ was; that she set out and ran towards Jesus indicates the eagerness she had to meet him; and the openness she had towards the Lord and the Lord's power over any circumstance shows how deep her faith was. An active love for God and an unwavering faith in the Lord - these are the two lessons that Martha teaches us. How relevant they are for the world of today, which is characterised by a godless spirituality, inhuman development and unethical rationality! However, on a practical note, it is a good day to express our gratitude and felicitate the home-makers (the so-called house-wives!!!) who make our lives so pleasant!