Thomas Griffin 7/29/24 (For National Catholic Register)
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Faith is a relationship.
Imagine being best friends with Jesus Christ while he walked the Earth. The saints we celebrate today had that opportunity.
We know that Jesus encounters Mary, Martha and Lazarus on at least three occasions during his ministry. Once when Jesus reminded Martha about the “better part” (Luke 10:38-42); once when Lazarus died (John 11:1-44), and once when Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with oil and dried them with her hair (John 12:3).
The way that Christ speaks to both Martha and Mary also reveals their loving bond. The sadness that Jesus experienced at the death of Lazarus could only mean that they were very close friends. In fact, the message sent to Jesus concerning Lazarus’ illness is: “Master, the one you love is ill” (John 11:3). Bethany, the hometown of these three friends of Jesus, is only 2 miles from Jerusalem and also would have easily been frequented by Christ and his disciples when they journeyed to the holy city for high feast days.
The friendship that Jesus had with Mary, Martha and Lazarus is the friendship that he offers us. They shared times of trial. They shared ordinary moments and meals. There were also times that urged Christ to call them to deeper faith; and, yes, there were times of deep sadness as well as joy. To follow Jesus is to be his friend like Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In a real sense, it is to experience what they did.
Thomas Griffin is the chairperson of the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has a masters degree in theology and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empty Tomb Project: The Magazine. He is the author of Let Us Begin: Saint Francis’s Way of Becoming Like Christ and Renewing the World.
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