Martha, Mary and Lazarus, 29th July 2020
Lord, the man you love is ill
–this said as if Jesus does not love others, or others so much. And we could say this of the whole family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, singled out, it seems for Jesus’ special love. But one has to start somewhere. And, perhaps, just like the rest of us, Jesus needs friendship outside of his immediate circle of disciples in order to stay sane. This is Jesus fully incarnate with a range of relationships, some closer and more intimate than others, but I wonder whether we can see a parallel here with our need, and his, to cultivate that special relationship with God in order to then be able to love others too, to whatever degree. The charge against Mary made by Martha in all her busy serving. We have to start somewhere but, in the words of Pope Francis, quoting 2 Corinthians
All of us with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of God asthough reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image (2.Cor.3;18)
It is a light reflected from one face to another (Lumen Fidei 37)
– the important point being that we have to meet in order to love; we have to meet somewhere in order to love; we have to meet in some way in order to love, for what we each carry and transmit is love itself. Beginning with God is not a bad start but we can begin with God anywhere – for every neighbour carries something of God within them.