Good old Martha!

Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ. 

Saint Martha (Memorial)

Good old Martha!   She was never one to hide her feelings.   She had no problem saying whatever was on her mind.   You might recall that when Jesus came for dinner and her sister, Mary, sat down to listen to him, Martha had no qualms about complaining to Jesus.   Why wasn’t Mary helping her prepare the meal (Luke 10:40)?

In today’s Gospel (John 11:27), Martha lets Jesus know just how disappointed she is that he didn’t come sooner to save her brother, Lazarus (John 11:21).   She can’t understand why Jesus would delay when his good friend was on his deathbed.   Still, despite her disappointment, Martha professes her faith in him:   “You are the Christ, the Son of God” (11:27).

We can be tempted to think that having faith in Jesus means we can’t ever question him or wonder why he would allow some things to happen.   But St. Martha shows us another way.   She was totally honest with Jesus.   She didn’t hesitate to express her confusion, her struggles, or her feelings—but that didn’t mean that her faith was weak.   Even though she didn’t understand, she still believed that he was “the one who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).

You have a friendship with Jesus too.   That means you can be as honest with him as Martha was.   You can tell him when you’re feeling disappointed in him.   You can even tell him when you’re angry with him or when you feel he has let you down.   Don’t worry, he won’t condemn you for it.   Remember:   he is human as well as divine.   He knows what you’re feeling because he has felt it too.   Rather than hurting your friendship with him, your honesty will strengthen it.

Just be sure that you also affirm your belief, as Martha did.   You can say, “I don’t understand this situation, Jesus, but I believe that you love me and want the best for me.”

Before he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus asked Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).   That’s a promise for all of us!

“Jesus, I believe! Thank you for giving me the freedom to be completely honest with you.”

Word Among Us