Brothers and Sisters, one of my favorite Gospel passages to reflect on is John 11:19-27. It is a helpful reminder to look for comfort and consolation in the only person who can provide it, Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel, we are invited to put ourselves into the shoes of Martha. Lazarus had just passed. We hear in other parts of this Gospel that Jesus how close Jesus was to Martha, Lazarus, and Mary. At one point, the Lord cries in grief at the passing of Lazarus. In this story given to us by John, we learn Lazarus had just passed, again if we look back to previous verses, he had been dead four days. The community had been there to comfort Mary and Martha. They had sent word of Lazarus impending death to Jesus, so he traveled to meet them. Martha comes to meet Jesus, but Mary stays home to mourn. Martha goes to meet Jesus. We see this awesome interaction between Martha and Jesus.
Martha is seeking comfort from Jesus. In her dialogue, she proves her faith in Jesus and the Resurrection. She tells Him that if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have passed. Further, she believes He will rise again on the last day, a common belief among some of the Jews of the day. But Jesus asks her to step her game up a little. He tells 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?” Martha, without hesitation, answers yes. She adds she believes in His divinity and knows who Jesus truly is.
Of course, we know from other passages Jesus raises Lazarus. But here, we are left not knowing because that is not the point we need to focus on today. Martha recognizes and accepts the presence of God when facing her cross, and in doing so, finds the eternal love and comfort, the wholeness in the face of the apparent loss of her brother.
I think the message in this Gospel is the invitation to ask, “where we find our comfort and love?” Today, it is easy to find support and relief in things that do not give us the eternal comfort and love we were meant to have. It is a sad sight to read and experience family, friends and members of the community who suffer from addictions. People start habits that destroy their happiness like hoarding, eating junk food, overeating, and smoking. They may seem to bring us comfort, but sooner or later, we look to do it again, and we suddenly realize our house is torn apart, our health is destroyed, and we are making trips to the hospital and doctor’s appointments.
But we celebrate saints and figures like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus to show us the way to find eternal love and comfort. In the midst of her suffering at the loss of her brother, she acknowledges the presence and divinity of Christ. My hope today is we all look to devote ourselves like Martha, and ask her intercession to find Jesus in our lives today.
Father Christopher Myers
Latest posts by Father Christopher Myers (see all)
- A reflection on the comfort and consolation only Jesus can provide - January 11, 2022
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