Vigils Reading – SS Martha, Mary & Lazarus

THE HAPPINESS OF

MARTHA AND MARY

From a sermon by St Aelred of Rievaulx

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Jesus entered a certain fortress, and a certain woman named Martha

received him into her house. And she had a sister named Mary. You have heard

in the Gospel about the great happiness of the two women. Truly, brothers, great

was the happiness of Martha, who welcomed such a guest, who waited upon

him, who was completely engaged with serving him. Great was the happiness of

Mary, who recognized the excellence of her guest, who listened to his wisdom

and tasted his sweetness…

If therefore…our soul according to what we have said, becomes a fortress,

it is fitting that two women live in it: one who sits at the feet of Jesus and listens

to his words, the other who waits upon Jesus and feeds him. Consider this: if

Mary were alone in this house, there would be no one to feed the Lord; if Martha

were alone, there would be no one to take delight in the discourses and presence

of the Lord. Therefore…Martha signifies that action by which a person labors

for Christ, and Mary signifies that rest by which a person ceases from bodily

activities and takes delight in the sweetness of God, either through reading,

prayer, or contemplation. Therefore…as long as Christ is poor and goes about

afoot on earth, and is hungry and thirsty, and is tempted, it is necessary that

both of these women dwell in one house, that both of their actions be in one

soul.

As long as you or I or anyone else is on earth, he himself is present in the

world, if we are his members. Whenever those who are his members are hungry,

thirsty, and tempted, then Christ will be hungry, thirsty, and tempted. For this

reason, Christ himself will say on the day of judgment: “Whenever you, did it to

one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it to me”. Therefore…in this

miserable and burdensome life, it is necessary that Martha be in our house, that

is, that our soul be busy with bodily activities. As long as we must eat and drink,

then we have to labor. As long as we are tempted by carnal pleasures, it is

necessary for us to tame the flesh by vigils, fasts, and bodily labor. This part is

Martha’s.

Mary also should be in our soul, for she represents activity of spirit. We

should not always give ourselves to bodily exercises but occasionally should rest

and see how delightful, how sweet, is the Lord; we should sit at the feet of Jesus

and listen to his word. In no way ought you to neglect Mary because of Martha,

nor again Martha because of Mary. If you neglect Martha who will feed Jesus? If

you neglect Mary, what will it benefit you that Jesus entered your house, since

you taste nothing of his sweetness?