Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
- Readings for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
Reading 1 Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Alleluia John 8:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel 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.”
or
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“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.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
July 29, 2026 // Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
Reflect on the Word //
It had been bubbling up throughout the Mass. All the sadness, the disappointment, the fear simmered just below the surface. Nothing new, but somehow the pain felt fresh, different. So I poured out my heart to Jesus. Still, by the time Father stood for the final blessing, I didn’t feel much better.
Gently, I heard the Lord in my heart: We can keep talking about it. Tears of relief flooded my eyes. Not because I had answers, but because He cared.
Martha’s exasperated words in today’s Gospel reveal many a heart’s cry. Something hard is happening, Jesus is there and He sees it, so why isn’t He doing anything about it? We too may wonder, “Lord, do you not care?” (Luke 10:40)
It’s a common temptation in times of pain or confusion. When your marriage is struggling or a loved one is ill, Lord, do You not care? When depression weighs you down both physically and mentally, Lord, do You not care? When you’ve been praying for a friend or a job or a breakthrough and it doesn’t come, Lord, do You not care? Martha’s question isn’t wrong; it’s honest. But that honesty is only the beginning of prayer.
If we want to know that He cares, we have to know Him. And we can only know Jesus when we spend time with Him. Sit at His feet like Mary and soak in His presence through daily prayer. Look at His face in Adoration or mental prayer. Listen to His words in Scripture. Being with Jesus is the one thing needed, the better part (Luke 10:42).
If you’re wondering today if Jesus cares, the answer is always and unequivocally yes. He cares for you. He cares for the people you care about. And He is taking care of everything. We need only to spend time with Him to remember.
Relate to the Lord // Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament this week. Sit at His feet.
The 2026 [virtual] Scripture Summit Begins In
Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, a retired youth minister, the Director of Formation for Blessed is She. She is passionate about teaching women how to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus in prayer through writing, speaking, and mentorship. Her favorite things include being the favorite aunt to her five niece and nephews, making friends everywhere she goes, and whatever book she’s currently reading.
