As we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus this week, we invite you to learn more about their lives and roles in Jesus’ ministry. The stories of these siblings whom “Jesus loved” (John 11:5) demonstrate how to embody devotion and hospitality, reminding us that we can have faith in God’s plans regardless of our circumstances.
Lessons from Martha and Mary
The first mention of Martha and Mary can be found in Luke 10, when they welcome Jesus to their home for dinner. After He arrived, Martha was still busy preparing the food, but Mary began listening to Jesus’ teachings. As a hostess, Martha was striving to ensure that Jesus felt welcomed and at home in her house, and was upset that her sister did nothing to help her. Luke 10:39-40 relates:
“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.’”
Such a request did not seem unreasonable, and Jesus understood that Martha’s concern was legitimate. Yet He reminded her that while she was “anxious and worried about many things,” Mary’s desire to learn from Jesus was “the better part” (Luke 10:41-42).
This account in Martha and Mary’s life reminds us not to become so concerned with the tasks we’re facing that we neglect our spiritual lives. While Mary chose to be still and listen to Jesus during His visit, Martha was so busy with serving her guests that she missed the opportunity to learn from Him.
The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus
The first time Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus is mentioned in the Bible is in John 11. In this passage, we learn that Lazarus had contracted a terrible illness, and the two women sent Jesus a message with the hope that He would come to their village and heal him. However, Jesus did not arrive until four days after Lazarus died. Instead of remaining at home with her sister upon Jesus’ arrival, Martha went out to greet Him. She did not react to the lateness of His coming with sorrow or anger, but with calm understanding. John 11:21-22 relates:
“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.’”
Even though her brother was already dead, Martha had faith that Jesus could still perform a miracle. She believed this, because she believed that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, as John 11:23-27 states:
“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 everyone 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 Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’”
Martha then went and called her sister Mary, who immediately went to see Jesus, despite being overcome with grief. When Jesus saw Mary’s distress, He was moved to tears, and asked to be shown the tomb where Lazarus was buried, so that it could be opened. Jesus then performed the great miracle of bringing Lazarus back to life. John 11:41b-44 reads:
“And Jesus raised his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.’ And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, ‘Untie him and let him go.’”
In raising Lazarus, Jesus not only demonstrated His love for His friends, but also His power and sovereignty as God, triumphant over death. The story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus reminds us that our God is a God who listens and is always faithful – He makes all things in our lives happen for a reason, even if we cannot see it.
Where to Find Martha, Mary, and Lazarus at the National Shrine
Did you know that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are each featured in the art of the Basilica? Here at the National Shrine, you can find Martha and Mary depicted in a relief panel above the South Entrance, while their brother Lazarus is portrayed in the southeast pendentive of the Redemption Dome and in the North Apse of the Crypt Church.