MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS, JULY 29, 2026

TOMB OF LAZARUS IN BETHANY

MASS READINGS:

Gospel 

John 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.”

REFLECTION

 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

How I need God!! In the Imitation of Christ, we read that when our Lord is present, all goes well, and nothing seems hard to do for His love; but when He is not present, everything is difficult.

At times I laugh at myself and thank God for His patience at my silly prayer requests made in anxiety, pride, jealousy, anger and the angst feeling of hopelessness.

My prayers acknowledge how much I need Him, how grief can turn me into a blathering buffoon. With the enormity of the loss, anger and resentment, the ugly face of grief shows up. My hurt can find consolation in the loving embrace of Jesus and what He has promised.

We meet Martha in her grief. She goes out to meet Jesus asking why was He late and at the same time seeking the consolation of His presence. There is great comfort in physically touching and seeing someone. His love softens our loss in our time of utmost vulnerability.

The silence needs no explanation, and in this intimate moment with God, I cling to Him. I, too, believe in the Resurrection and that one day I will see my loved one. I am asked to hope and trust in His promises. And my faith has a growth spurt.

Personal loss is a tragedy but God will give us the graces to trust and hope for the life He has promised us in His Kingdom.

God bless you