Voice: Hambali
Today is Tuesday, 29th of July. Today we remember Mary, Martha and Lazarus, companions of Our Lord.
Let us come before Him with praise and thanksgiving.
We read Psalms 133:
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
John 11: 1-5
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Reflection
The Gift of Friends
Among the twelve disciples, we know that three were especially close to Jesus—Peter, James, and John. They formed the inner circle of His followers, often present at key moments like the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’s daughter, and Jesus’ anguish in Gethsemane. These three were being specially shaped to carry on His mission after His death and resurrection.
But Jesus also had close personal friends outside the circle of the twelve. We are specifically told that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:5). Of course, Jesus loved everyone. But there was something particularly tender about His bond with this family from Bethany.
Several heartfelt stories come from their home:
- The deeply moving moment when Jesus wept at Lazarus’s death.
- Mary’s act of devotion, anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume and wiping them with her hair.
- The instructive scene where Martha served while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, highlighting both service and stillness in the life of faith.
These are not random encounters. They arose in the context of deep friendship—the kind of soul-sharing that happens over meals, in times of joy, and in moments of sorrow.
These close companions give us a fuller picture of Jesus’ earthly life. While He was unquestionably mission-focused, He also made room for simple, sincere relationships.
He welcomed rest, conversation, and shared life with those He loved.
He laughed, taught, and even cried with friends.
He knew the power of presence and the value of companionship.
Jesus lived well, even though His time on earth was short.
He embraced friendship moments, not as distractions from His mission, but as expressions of it.
He showed us that a meaningful life includes closeness with others, not just effectiveness in tasks.
To put it simply, Jesus exemplified the beauty of having close companions in life. He invites us to do the same:
To welcome others in, to foster deep friendships, and to walk through life not alone, but together.
Will you take some moments to day to reconnect with some close spiritual friends whom you have not met for some time?
We close with this Collect:
O God, heavenly Father,
your Son Jesus Christ enjoyed rest and refreshment in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany:
Give us the will to love you, open our hearts to hear you,
and strengthen our hands to serve you in others for his sake;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
Be blessed by this song, Teach me Thy Way
Teach me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford; teach me thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
lead me with heav’nly light; teach me thy way!
When I am sad at heart, teach me thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
in failure or success, teach me thy way!
When doubts and fears arise, teach me thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me thy way!
Shine thro’ the cloud and rain, thro’ sorrow, toil, and pain;
make thou my pathway plain; teach me thy way!
Long as my life shall last, teach me thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
until the crown is won, teach me thy way!
Daily Devotion 
Leave a comment