Gospel: July 29, 2025
July 29, 2025 (Tuesday)
17th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)
Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus
Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
The Lord is kind and merciful.
1st Reading: Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28
Moses then took the Tent and pitched it for himself outside the camp, at a distance from it, and called it the Tent of Meeting. Whoever sought the Lord would go out to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. And when Moses went to the tent all the people would stand, each one at the entrance to his tent and keep looking toward Moses until he entered the tent. Now, as soon as Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the tent, while the Lord spoke with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance to the tent, they would arise and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent. Then the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his neighbor, and then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, son of Nun, would not leave the tent. And the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him, and Moses called on the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed in front of him and cried out, “The Lord, the Lord is a God full of pity and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in truth and loving kindness. He shows loving kindness to the thousandth generation and forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin; yet he does not leave the guilty without punishment, even punishing the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” Moses hastened to bow down to the ground and worshipped. He then said, “If you really look kindly on me, my Lord, please come and walk in our midst and even though we are a stiff-necked people, pardon our wickedness and our sin and make us yours.” Moses remained there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the Covenant—the Ten Commandments.
Gospel: John 11:19-27 (or Luke 10:38-42)
Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary, after the death of their brother, to comfort them. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”
Reflection:
“I have come to believe that you are the Christ.”
Often, we immediately think of Mary at the feet of Jesus and of Martha rushing about in frustration, trying to prepare a meal for their guest. There is a danger that we place Mary’s faith above that of Martha and Lazarus. But they all welcomed Jesus to their home as close friends, who trusted their Master. They all had a deep faith in him, which Martha expresses in the Gospel passage today. “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” It’s a trust that believes that all is possible for the Son of God. Had he arrived earlier, Lazarus would not have died, but even now, Martha believes that he can raise his friend from the dead, which he will do to the glory of God his Father and to give further testimony to the truth that he is Son of God and Savior. Sometimes Martha and Mary are taken as symbols of the two aspects of Christian life: the active and the contemplative. Both facets need to be evident in the life of every Christian. Our love for the Lord must also be shown in our love for our neighbor.
