A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. 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." 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 anyone 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 Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."
REFLECTION: "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."
Are you mindful of the work Jesus is doing in your life? Are you thankful of the work of salvation taking place in your life? We are saved, we are being saved and we will be saved.
Martha, friend of Jesus, sister of Mary and Lazarus, goes to meet Jesus as He makes His way to their home. She is known as being very practical, a doer of things. She makes things happen. She approaches Jesus and makes such a profound statement of faith, “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.“
What confidence. What faith. She is convinced that God will give Jesus anything He asks for. She knows that even now, it is possible to bring her brother back, to retrieve him from death. She knows it all depends on God the Father who will not refuse His Son anything.
Do we believe that we will never die? Do we pray for ourselves and those who need the grace of God in their lives? Do we persist trustingly knowing that nothing is impossible to God? Do we believe that God's will is for our good? What comfort to have such love, such faith to know that we are not alone. Through our love for God, and our desire to abide in Him and be in communion with Him we will live and never die.
"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." Pray and do-- for ourselves and others.
God Bless You
*St Martha is the patron saint of Cooks, Housewives, Servants, Waiters and Waitresses
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