Sisters at the Tomb
Begin in silence…
Close your eyes and sit quietly for a few moments. Ask the Lord to help you focus on today’s practice and passage.
Set the scene…
For today’s scripture reading, we are again in Bethany, but between the home of Mary and Martha and the tomb of beloved Lazarus. Their brother fell ill, died and has been entombed for 4 days. The sisters sent word of his illness to Jesus, but he did not come right away. Martha runs out of her home when he arrives. Imagine the weight of this moment, somber and grief-stricken.
As we will read in the passage, Martha expresses disappointment to Jesus for not being there before her brother died, yet Jesus responds gently to her. Martha’s reaction demonstrates that her faith and relationship with Jesus are honest. What comes next is often overlooked in the story. Before Jesus weeps with the sisters or raises Lazarus, he and Martha dialogue about the final resurrection. Jesus imparts to her the gospel truth that he is the resurrection. She expresses faith in him as the Messiah, just as Peter does in other gospel accounts. This is a momentous proclamation of the gospel by a woman.