Saint Martha

July 29, 2022
Author: Hannah DeVivo

Peace be with you!

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Martha!

Who is Saint Martha?

Saint Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. The three of them were friends and followers of Jesus. They lived in Bethany, just two miles from Jerusalem. We read in the Gospels that Jesus and His disciples would go to their home frequently.

Martha and Mary

In the Gospel of Luke, we hear of a now-famous story regarding Martha and Mary. In case you are not familiar with it, Jesus comes to their home to teach. Now in those days, similar to today, there was an emphasis on caring for your guests—especially for the women of the household. It is not surprising then that while Jesus is preaching, Martha is busy seeing to the people in her house. She is cleaning, preparing food, and keeping an eye on them to make sure that they are not in need of anything.

While Martha is busy attending to the guests, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, quietly listening to Him. Martha understandably gets annoyed and finally says to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me” (Luke 38:40). Jesus’ response is gentle and loving, with a touch of reproach. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 38:41-42).

Through this story, we can learn several things. First and foremost, we are called to be aware of what is taking precedence in our lives and consider if we truly ought to give it the most attention. We are invited to look beyond the task at hand and see the bigger picture. It certainly seems like a wise and necessary decision to look after the guests in your home, but Martha wasn’t perceiving the greater call. Her friend and Lord was there ministering, nourishing the souls of those present in a way that food never could. Jesus doesn’t blame her for the work she’s doing, but rather invites her to participate in something better.

Another beautiful thing we can learn from this story is Jesus’ tender care for those He loves.

The Death of Lazarus

In the Gospel of John, Lazarus fell deathly ill while Jesus was away. Martha and Mary were devastated. They sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Jesus went to the tomb, and we have two beautiful words from this passage that I have personally spent a lot of time letting sink into my heart: “Jesus wept.” He wept. The omnipotent and omniscient Son of God wept for His friend who had died.

“Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, ‘Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. 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’” (John 11:39-44). Moved by love, Jesus restored Lazarus to life and proved that nothing is impossible for God.

Saint Martha Slaying the Dragon

Saint Martha is often depicted slaying a dragon. It is important to note that there is no Scriptural evidence to the legends I am about to share. What we do know is that Martha was a close friend and devoted follower of Jesus. After the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, Eastern Orthodox tradition says that Martha went to Cyprus. Meanwhile, Latin tradition says that she went to France with Mary Magdalene. Regardless of where Martha ended up, there are fantastic miraculous legends tied to her later years.

This is an excerpt from the Golden Legend: “At that time, in the forest along the Rhone between Aries and Avignon, there was a dragon that was half animal and half fish, larger than an ox, longer than a horse, with teeth as sharp as horns and a pair of bucklers on either side of his body. This beast lurked in the river, killing all those who tried to sail by and sinking their vessels … The people asked Martha for help, and she went after the dragon. She found him in the forest in the act of devouring a man, sprinkled him with blessed water, and had a cross held up in front of him. The brute was subdued at once and stood still like a sheep while Martha tied him up with her girdle, and the people killed him then and there with stones and lances.”

It is very possible that the creature mentioned here was actually a crocodile. So, even if Martha did not conquer a dragon, she could have captured a crocodile, which is pretty awesome.

Saint Martha is the patron of servants and cooks. Let us remember her when we serve others and invoke her when we are discerning what is truly important to focus on. Click here for a medal to Saint Martha and a book containing her story!

Saint Martha, pray for us!

Before You Go

Do you have a devotion to Saint Martha?

How do you feel about the story of Martha and Mary?

Did you learn anything new in this article?

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