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Friends of Our Lord
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. John
11:19–20
The Gospel for today’s Memorial begins with grief. Grief brings the
community together and prepares us for the divine drama to unfold.
As Jesus approaches the house, He is met with sorrow, yet He is
ready to transform it into a house of hope and joy.
Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were siblings and close friends of Jesus.
Jesus and His disciples visited their home on multiple occasions
and received their generous hospitality. Though little is known
about Lazarus’ personality, the characteristics of Martha and Mary
are more clearly revealed through their interactions with our
Lord.
Martha is often portrayed as active, practical, and hospitable. She
speaks directly and openly, even in her grief, professing her faith
in Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God.” Her words and actions
show a heart of deep faith, even when she does not yet understand
the full mystery unfolding before her. Mary, on the other hand, is
more contemplative and reserved. She is the one who sat at the feet
of Jesus, listening to His words while Martha served. In this
Gospel scene, she remains at home, likely immersed in silent
sorrow. Yet later, when she encounters Jesus, she too will express
deep faith and devotion—falling at His feet in tears.
Together, these sisters reveal different dimensions of
discipleship: the active and the contemplative, the spoken and the
silent, the service of love and the adoration of the heart. Each
responded to Jesus in her own way, and both were deeply loved by
Him. Likewise, our Lord welcomes our personalities, griefs, and
strengths. Whether we are more like Martha or Mary, Jesus invites
us to draw near to Him and to trust that He is “the Resurrection
and the Life.”
Though little is known about Lazarus, we do know that he was
greatly loved by Jesus. When Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ tomb, He was
deeply moved: “And Jesus wept” (John 11:35). This is the shortest
verse in Scripture, yet one of the most profound. The raising of
Lazarus from the dead was a prefiguration of Jesus’ own
Resurrection and a powerful sign of His divine authority over
death. Lazarus became a living witness to Christ’s power, and his
very presence later stirred such amazement that the chief priests
plotted to kill him (cf. John 12:10–11). In this way, Lazarus
stands as a silent but radiant sign of hope: one who passed through
the darkness of death and was called forth by the voice of the Son
of God. His story reminds us that even in our tombs of suffering,
despair, or sin, Jesus comes to call us forth to new life.
These siblings also reveal the humanity of Christ. He shared a
friendship with them, spent time with them, listened to them, ate,
received their love, and affected their lives. In these siblings we
are given a glimpse of Jesus’ tender love for us—personal,
relational, and deeply human. Their home was a place where Jesus
found rest and companionship amid His public ministry. Their story
reminds us that our Lord desires not only our worship but also our
friendship. He wishes to dwell in the home of our hearts, to share
in our joys and sorrows, and to walk with us through every moment
of life. In their closeness to Jesus, these three saints show us
that holiness is not distant or abstract, but discovered in the
context of daily life, hospitality, and sincere faith.
Reflect today on the tender love Jesus had for this saintly family.
See yourself and your own earthly family in them. Know that Jesus
desires to dwell in your home, to relate with you personally, and
to make your home a sanctuary of His abiding presence. Welcome Him
in. Like Martha, serve Him with generosity. Like Mary, sit at His
feet in loving adoration. And like Lazarus, allow Him to lift your
spirit, restore your soul, and call you forth from whatever binds
you. Jesus does all of this joyfully—moved with deep compassion,
affection, and love for you.
My Lord and divine Friend, just as Your Sacred Heart was moved
with compassion and holy sorrow at the death of Your friend Lazarus
and at the grief of his sisters, so too is Your Heart moved with
love for me—even when I fail. Strengthen me, dear Lord, by Your
abiding presence in the sanctuary of my heart. May my life be a
home You visit often and a place of faith, love, and friendship.
Jesus, I trust in You.
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