Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.”

Friendship leads to holiness

1. Going out to meet him. Coming together with others is an important aspect of life. Encounters can have significant impacts, leading to changes in perspective or lifestyle. Marta comes out to meet Jesus in a moment of pain. In times of grief, reaching out or seeking support is a vital step. You shouldn’t stay locked inside yourself, come out. I know it’s difficult, because when someone you love dies, everything hurts, but you must come out so as to process emotions and find balance.

2. Will rise. Believing can offer a sense of possibility during challenging times;  it implies knowing that you have an opportunity. Nourish your faith, and your faith will nourish your life during the tough moments you must undergo, because living means facing challenges, and facing challenges means taking them on. Jesus is life; that’s why you should never let your hopes and your will to live die.

3. We Believe. Today is the feast day of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. I love thinking of Jesus as someone who has friends, who’s truly human. But it also reminds us that we can’t go through life alone; we need one another- Good friends always lead us to God and help us when life falls apart. Today, let’s begin this day by praying for those are the pillars of support in our lives..

Remember that something good is on the way!

God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.