July 29--Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Holy Family

Raising of Lazarus by Giotto Public domain

Although not common, it is not completely unusual for whole families to be saints. Before canonizations were under the direction of the papacy in the eleventh century, saints were often chosen by local churches and the people. Thus, whole families were known as saints, including Elizabeth, Zechariah, and John the Baptist; Basil the Elder, Emilia, Macrina the Elder, Macrina the Younger, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter of Sebaste; Augustine and Monica; Benedict and Scholastica; Louis, Zelie, Thérèse of Lisieux, and Leonie Martin; Clare and Agnes of Assisi; and today’s saints, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany.

“Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were added to the General Roman Calendar as a combined memorial on July 29th by Pope Francis on January 26, 2021. This replaced the previous celebration of Saint Martha alone on that date.” This is because the identity of Mary of Bethany was not definitively established until recently by scholarship.

“Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany were beloved by Jesus. We don’t know the full background, but it appears all three siblings were loved by the Lord and were close friends and disciples of his. Each had a different charism. We know that Martha had a servant’s heart and that Mary preferred to sit at the feet of her Lord and learn from him. We don’t know as much about Lazarus other than he is one for whom Jesus wept and who he rose from the grave. John’s Gospel also tells us that because Jesus rose Lazarus from the grave, the chief priests and elders also plotted to put Lazarus to death, but we don’t know if they succeeded. May we be more like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus and draw near to Christ to love and serve him.”

Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, pray for us.

Sunday in the Octave of Christmas: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

The Sunday in the Octave of Christmas is when we celebrate the first family of Christianity: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Gospel from Luke is about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple where Simeon makes his prophecy, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:34-35).

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are the perfect family and the perfect model for family life. But how can we hope to follow their example? Through the grace of God! The family—mother, father, and child—is the ecclesia domestica, or domestic church; the first place where the faith is shared with a new generation. In the marriage of man and woman, a sacrament of mercy for humanity, we are given the grace to grow in love for God and one another.

“The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life. Authority, stability, and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society. The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom. Family life is an initiation into life in society” (CCC, #2207).

We need to pray for those who don’t understand that family is not about two people contracting with each other for their own sakes, but about a covenantal love that is lived in and through their fruitful love culminating in children in order to bring about the Kingdom of God.

July 26—Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Just like everyone else, Mary had parents, and Jesus had grandparents.  We know them as Sts. Joachim and Anne.  Although not mentioned in Scripture, their legend comes from a second century document, the Protoevangelium of James.  Regardless of the lack of historical evidence, we can say that Mary’s parents were the first teachers of Mary.  Through a special grace of God, they conceived Mary without original sin.  They were the ones who instilled in her the habits and virtues that enabled her to respond with loving obedience to God’s request to be the Mother of the Son of God, Jesus Incarnate.  Joachim and Anne were faithful Jews who taught Mary to be a faithful Jew who taught Jesus to be a faithful Jew.  They were the ones who set the tone for the raising of Jesus.  

Grandparents do set the tone for future generations.  Their examples guide the parents of grandchildren.  Their faith and hope and love and perseverance give strength to those who come after them.  We remember our grandparents for their holiness and for their love of us.  As grandparents, we can do the same for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  We are called to be loving, prayerful, and perseverant, so that when we are called home our descendants may remember us as loving them for the sake of loving God.  Sts. Joachim and Anne, patron saints of grandparents, set the bar high, but with God’s grace, we too can show future generations the benefits of a constant love, the love of Christ.