Memorial of Saint Martha
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Martha who is one of my favorite saints. I enjoy reading and learning about the lives of the saints, since I think that their lives can be a source of inspiration for me as I travel on my faith journey. In the recent past, I was talking with two separate groups of Catholic friends about what it means to be a saint. Many if not most of them stated that they had no desire to become a saint. I was surprised by this and I asked them why they felt this way. One person responded that in order to be a saint that there would be too many things that she enjoyed that she did not want to give up. Another person remarked that being a saint involved great suffering and oftentimes death as a result of a person’s belief. Although many Catholics have this view of sainthood, I think that there is a great deal more to being a saint than sorrow and sacrifice. I believe that we are all called to be saints- to be “holy” people, and although there will be challenges and hardships at time, the road to holiness is also filled with joy and hope.. Today’s readings show us two examples of saints who lived their lives trusting and believing in God’s great love and mercy. They show me how to be “set apart” for God.
In the first reading Moses has received the Ten Commandments given to him by God. He returns to find the Israelites dancing before the golden calf that they had created, and Moses’ anger rises as he recognizes that the people “have committed a grave sin.” (Ex32:30) Moses understands the importance of serving the one and only true God, and he longs to lead others to follow him to this single minded purpose. In his great love for his people, he pleads with God to “forgive their sin.” (Ex 32:32) God recognizes Moses faith, and sends him forth telling him, “go and lead my people to the place I have told you. My angel will go before you.” (Ex 32: 34) Moses demonstrates what it means to be “holy”. He listens to the Lord, receives His word (the Ten Commandments) and brings this to share with others. He knows that the love and worship of God should be the most important purpose of life, and because of his great faith, God blesses Moses with His presence and uses him to lead the Israelites to freedom.
The gospel reading recounts the story of Martha and her meeting with Jesus at the time of Lazarus’ death. Previously in the gospels, Martha has been rebuked by Jesus for being “anxious and worried about many things.” (Luke 10: 41) and not choosing the “better part” of spending time- or being with Him. Today’s reading illustrates that Martha has learned much on her road to holiness. When she hears that Jesus was coming, “she went to meet him” (John 11: 21) She tells Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even how I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” (John 11: 21-22) Martha demonstrates her complete trust in Jesus. She recognizes that God’s power is great, and yet she believes that God listens to and responds to the cries of his children. Martha declares the magnitude of her faith when she tells Jesus, ‘Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world. “(John 11:27) One of the reasons that I find Martha to be such an appealing figure as a saint is because she shows how ordinary people (even those that sometimes get caught up in the tasks of daily living) can grow in faith and become great witnesses for Christ. There are 3 things that are particularly inspiring to me in the life of St. Martha. First of all, she recognizes the importance of “being” with Jesus as she runs to meet him on the road. Her great profession of faith in Jesus as the Christ and her belief in His power and mercy reveals her ability to be open to God’s grace in her life, since it is by grace that we grow in faith. And finally, she recognizes God is the source of her salvation. She states her belief in Jesus as the “Christ- the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”(John 11: 27) She understands that it is Christ who brings her wholeness and forgiveness for her sins. It is Jesus who makes her “holy” or set apart. She is a saint because she believes in Jesus as her savior and Lord, she spends time with Him to come to know His will, and then she goes forth with His grace to proclaim this faith. Although St. Martha lived 2000 years ago, she still reminds me how I can be “holy” for God.
With the recent announcement of the upcoming canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, there has been much discussion about what it means to be a saint. Although by church standards being a “saint” requires miracles or martyrdom, and a significant process of investigation, I still think that each of us is called to be holy. Through our Baptism we are brought into the “communion of saints” and even church teaching (Vatican II) reminds us of the “universal call to holiness.” So I often ponder what does it mean for an average person to be a “saint” or to be holy? Sts. Martha and Moses remind me that it begins with an openness to hear God’s call and willingness to listen. I must recognize that it is God’s grace (His life within me) that is the source of my holiness- not anything that I do or say. I also must accept that each person will be “holy” in a different way, since each person has been created uniquely by God. Holiness for me will not look the same as holiness for another. I think that Thomas Merton’s definition of a saint captures how I believe I am called to become holy. He says, “For me to be a saint means to be myself. Discovering myself is discovering God. If I find Him I will find myself, and if I find my true self, I will find Him. God desires for us to be the persons we were created to be- to be simply and purely ourselves and in this state to love God and to let ourselves be loved by God.” So to be a saint means to recognize that each of us is created in God’s image. He created us to be and live in a relationship with Him. When we seek Him, find Him, love Him, and do everything to allow this relationship to grow, then we become saints. I agree with my friends that there will be suffering, and we may have to give up things that we like as we follow Christ on our journeys to holiness. However, the joy and peace of finding God and finding ourselves in Him will completely be worth those struggles.
Heavenly Father, you created us in your image and call us to be “set apart” for you. You sent your Son, Jesus to show us your great love and how you long for us to be with You. May your Spirit within us allow us to grow in our faith and love for you, so we can become your holy ones- your saints. May we then take these lives of love and go forth to share Your love and mercy with the world around us. We pray this in Christ, our Lord. AMEN
Marylynn Herchline