Martha Comes To Believe that Jesus is the Son of God

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were beloved friends of Jesus. We see Saint Martha’s exemplary faith expressed in chapter 11 of John's Gospel. In this account of the miracle in which Jesus restores Lazarus from death, He first has a magnificent conversation with Martha, in which He reveals Himself to her as the One who conquers death and brings eternal life. In this encounter, Martha is not “worried about many things” as she had been in Luke’s account (in Luke 10) of an earlier event when Jesus had come dine at their home. Now, rather, she is entirely focused on Jesus and has complete trust that God will do whatever Jesus asks of Him. And by the word of Jesus and the grace working within her, Martha’s “trust” will be transformed into a recognition and profession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who has come to save the world. This Gospel reading deserves our attentive meditation.

In the text, we see Jesus invite Martha to believe in Him. Her response shows clearly that she—like her sister Mary (see Luke 10:41)—has come to know in a very deep way the "one thing necessary."

From the Gospel for the feast of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (July 29):

“And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 

“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 everyone 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 Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’” 

~John 11:19-27