Martha
1st Reading: Jer 26:1-9
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the LORD: Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing. Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds. Say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another. Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD. When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people, the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying, “You must be put to death! Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD: ‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and ‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
Gospel: Jn 11: 19-27 or Lk 10: 38-42
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.”
BE AGENTS OF CHANGE: Prophet Jeremiah was despised by the people, when he preached the impending actions of God on them. They were not prepared to mend their ways and turn to God. Are we different from them, when God speaks to us through his people? It is always difficult to come out of our comfort zones. Gandhi said, “You must be the change that you would want to see in the world”. Although changes in life are inevitable, we can also initiate personal changes, so we can rise to the challenge and become better persons as a result. In the Gospel, we find that Jesus is not accepted by the majority of the people for he stood for love, truth and justice. When we stand for the Gospel values, we must be ready to face opposition. Let us stand firm to the end and we shall be truly rewarded.
Prayer: Lord help me to be an instrument of your love.
DAILY GOSPEL 