St. Martha

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Today is the Feast of St. Martha,

Luke 10:38 Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered: 'Martha, Martha,' he said 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.'

We are familiar with the event of Martha and Mary. Martha is reproved by Jesus because she is worried about so many things while Mary is praised for recognizing the one thing necessary – listening at the feet of Jesus in prayer.  

But let’s not miss a very important point, Jesus was in the home of Martha precisely because she invited him and gave him hospitality. And the result was that Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus became some of the best friends of Jesus. And she became a Saint.

God’s original plan, which is still in effect, was that faith would be passed on from parents to children and from friends to friends. This was to take place by means of friendship and good conversation. But to have friendship and good conversation it only makes sense that we invite people to where we live and then give them hospitality. Martha kicks off God’s plan – now it’s our turn to follow.

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We find Jesus at the house of Martha many times in the Gospel.

Oh, and by the way, it was probably a result of the hospitality and friendship that Jesus raised their brother Lazarus from the dead. In fact the scene of the Raising of Lazarus, her brother, from the dead begins in this way: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

Let’s also not forget, Martha is a Saint on the Big calendar of the Church – so she is a big deal. And why is she a big deal? Because Jesus gave only one mission to the Church – that one mission was not to build schools or hospitals or charity services, those are good things, but the one mission Jesus gave the Church and all Christians is to make disciples of all nations. And I tell you this – you can’t lead people to Jesus unless you first build a real authentic relationship, a true friendship with them and that takes the virtue of Hospitality.

Martha is the Queen, Apostle and Patron of Hospitality.

Martha is the ultimate missionary, a Missionary of Friendship,

·       because she invited people into her home,

·       gave them hospitality and friendship

·       and then they encountered Jesus and believed in Him.

So all you busy bodies out there – here is your salvation. Lead people to Jesus through your gifts of Hospitality.

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Reasons Catholics Do Not Share their Faith

1.  We think That’s someone else’s job

2.  We Lack Confidence

3.  We are exhausted by too many programs in the parish

A Simple Solution: A movement of Families and Friends who live a simple way of life  - Friendship; Good Conversation; Praying the Rosary and Inviting Others Into this Way of Life.

St. Francis said, “through friendship learn faith.”

Friends share life together

·       Do the things you like to do and invite others to do it with you.

·       Have coffee, or a meal, or drinks or desert, go for a walk, watch a ball game or play cards…whatever you like and have a good conversation while you are doing it.

Where you live create an atmosphere of hospitality, friendship and good conversation

·       in your kitchen, living room, deck, garage, by the pool – wherever.

·       Invite people into this space, offer them something to drink or eat

·       Nobody cares if your house looks like Pintrest, in fact, if your home is too neat and clean it is not hospitable, it looks like no one lives there – the devil wants to stop you by this temptation

·       Don’t worry about putting out a big spread – just offer what you have in your fridge and pantry

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Hospitality takes effort and the sacrifice of our comfortable routines and puts us at risk of dealing with annoying or difficult people that may cost us something.

C.S. Lewis in his book, The Four Loves writes:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and agitations of love is Hell.”

You don’t have to be a Super-Apostle or gregarious or an extrovert. The most important person in evangelization is the Ring-leader – the one who invites people and rounds them up, especially if you do this regularly.

My 19 yr old daughter Teresa is great at this and because she invites people to share life together – her friend group keeps moving closer to God!

Along we grow cold.

Together we keep the fire buring!

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In 42 AD, Herod unleashed a great persecution of the Church which caused the Apostles the scatter literally to the four corners of the known world to sow the Word of God. Herod commanded that Mary Magdalen, Martha, along with their brother Lazarus as well as Maximinus together with still other Christians, to be bound and thrown into a ship without a rudder and launched into the deep, in the hope that in this way they would all be drowned at once. But the ship was guided by the power of God and made port in good condition in Marseille, southern France. There no one would give shelter to the newcomers, who were forced to take refuge beneath the porch of a pagan temple. When Mary and Martha saw the pagans going into their temple to offer sacrifice to their gods, they arose with calmness and began to share the Gospel with them. Then the citizens of Marseilles tore down all the temples of the idols, and built Christian churches in their stead; and by common consent they chose Lazarus to be bishop of Marseilles. Then Martha and Mary Magdalen went to North to Aix, where by many miracles they converted the people to the faith of Christ; and Saint Maximinus was elected bishop. And the faith remains in France to this day.

St Martha Pray for us!