Feast of Saints Mary and Martha

Feast of Saints Mary and Martha

Bethany

July 29, 2021

Mass in the Tomb at 6:30 AM

Solemn Mass in the Church at 8:00 AM

MEMORIAL OF STS. MARTHA & MARY

Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, were close friends of Jesus. Together, they showed Christ family spirit and friendship and for this Christ loved them.

We are familiar with the story of Martha asking, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Christ’s response, that there is need for only one thing, teaches us how to be his disciples, how to choose the “better part”.  Martha is not called to give up her much-needed service to Christ, but to turn it into a committed attachment to the Lord. Dare we say that Mary, along with the part she has chosen, will also mature into a sense of service beyond herself?

Each year, the Franciscan Custody celebrates this memorial in Bethany, after which they follow an ancient tradition – a pilgrimage from the place where Christ resurrected his friend Lazarus to the Mount of Olives. They stop at the Chapel of the Ascension, whereby tradition it is believed that Christ ascended to heaven. Then they proceed to the Pater Noster, the place where it is believed Christ instructed his disciples and taught them how to pray. They do this to literally touch the places where Jesus taught, showing us how to meet God, the Father.

Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches commemorate Martha and her sister Mary on 4 June. They also commemorate these sisters on the 3^rd Sunday of Easter – the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers. St. Lazarus is commemorated on 17 October. In the Catholic tradition, St. Lazarus is commemorated on 14 March.