Martha keeps popping up in my readings and thoughts in recent weeks. I blogged about her two weeks ago. I did a Lectio Divina twice on a passage in which she features. She recently appeared in the online devotional I use. And now, today turns out to be St Martha’s day.
St Martha is known as the patron saint of practical women – of cooks and servants in particular. Actually, I do not identify as a practical woman. I don’t know how to change a tap washer. My idea of cooking is to open a bottle of something and add it to a stir-fry in a wok. Just the same, I have a soft spot for this woman. As I thought more about her today, I have been reminded of this encouraging truth:
God uses our unique natures.
Different gifts, different functions
The apostle Paul expressed this concept in his letter to the Romans. It’s recorded in chapter 12, right after the section about offering our bodies as living sacrifices and being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Assuming that we’re on track with sanctification, Paul then expected first-century Christians to wholeheartedly live out their unique natures. He put it this way:
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
(Romans 12:4-8 NIV)
I wonder if Martha, Mary and Lazarus ever read a copy of that letter to the Romans? And if they did, I wonder where they were and what they were doing at the time? One thing I am pretty convinced of is this: they would have been wholeheartedly living out their unique natures. Martha was most likely organizing everyone and everything around her. Mary was probably as contemplative as ever. As for Lazarus, I hope that he was still very much alive and excitedly telling everyone he met about being resurrected.
Traditions
Tradition suggests that Martha, Mary and Lazarus moved to Southern France in the middle of the first century AD. Historical records from the day are hazy but the ancient bones of some very important person, believed to be Martha, remain there to this day. I enjoyed looking at pictures of The Collegiate Church of St Martha online, though my schoolgirl French let me down. You can have a peek too – the reference is in footnote 1. The bones are stored in a crypt in the church, which is a Gothic building built over Romanesque walls. To the Medieval church, a Renaissance section was later added. See footnote 2 if you want to read more. I’d love to visit when I’m rich (ha!).
Whether this early Christian missionary whose bones are kept there was Martha the sister of Mary and Lazarus or another Martha, she sounds like one amazing lady. Not only did she bring the gospel to Provence, but she is also credited with pacifying a monster which regularly ravaged the area. After taming the horrendous creature, she reportedly led it to the townspeople who promptly killed it. See footnote 3.
One can almost imagine the plucky lady we read about in the gospels coming to a town like this, hearing of the problem with the monster, and saying, “Well, somebody has to do something about it.” Did she dust the flour off her hands then march off to find the fearsome creature, I wonder? These are just stories, of course, though with a kernel of truth.
And the point is ……?
The point of today’s ponderings about Martha is this: God created us differently and uses us in our differences. Whether or not the plucky woman who left her mark and her bones in France was the same Martha as Jesus’ hospitable host, God used her. She had a key role in establishing God’s church in that corner of the Roman Empire.
Throughout the ages, God has continued to use his saints – his sanctified people – all over the world. Many stories could be told of saints throughout the centuries. God uses us still today with our individual strengths, quirks and, yes, even weaknesses.
Am I a Martha? A Mary? A Lazarus? I’m just an ordinary Australian Christian woman. I’m no ‘official saint’ in the eyes of the world, but in God’s eyes, I am undergoing sanctification. I’m a saint-in-progress who has my own quirks, strengths and weaknesses. As I work at the renewing of my mind, God works at transforming me … and using me to build his church.
Encouragement
On this St Martha’s Day, the patron saint of practical women. I’m encouraged to remember that God knows us, works in us, and works through us ordinary people. The following words were not written by Paul, because he lacked the perspective that we have. The sentiments are his, however, and are as true today as they were in Martha’s day.
If you are gifted in taming monsters, then tame them courageously. If you are gifted in creating meals for many with a minimum of fuss, then do so cheerfully. If you’re gifted in writing little articles that spur people on to live well, then write regularly. If your gift is to befriend women from other parts of the world, carrying the fragrance of Christ as you enter their homes, then get out of your own home and into theirs with enthusiasm and cheerfulness. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, living out your uniqueness. For we are all different but we all form one body. May Jesus be glorified through our various avenues of service.
References
Footnote 1 http://www.webmaster2010.org/variables/tarascon-collegialestemarthe-24juil2016.pdf accessed on St Martha’s Day, 29 July 2019.
Footnote 2 – https://www.rdv-inprovence.com/en-us/provence-places-to-visit/tarascon.html accessed on St Martha’s Day, 29 July 2019
Footnote 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarasque accessed on St Martha’s Day, 29 July 2019