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Saturday, July 29, 2000

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St. Martha


Jeremiah 7:1-11
Psalm 84
John 11:19-27
or Luke 10:38-42

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"it's god's fault"

"Lord, are You not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me." —Luke 10:40

Martha blamed Jesus, that is, God, for not telling Mary to help her. We also blame God for not stopping tragedies and for not doing what we want. Martha seemed close to blaming God again for not preventing the death of her brother Lazarus (Jn 11:21). However, she refrained from blaming God, started believing God (Jn 11:27), and saw the glory of God as her brother was raised from the dead and unbound by Jesus (Jn 11:44).

When your output exceeds your input, then your upkeep becomes your downfall. In other words, when we try to do more than we have received the grace from God to do, the living of our everyday lives will cause us to break down. Moreover, when we are blaming God, we set up an obstacle which prevents us from freely receiving His grace, His input into our lives. (We don't receive much from people that we blame.) Therefore, we must repent of blaming God, or we will fall apart.

Don't blame God. He alone is innocent. Thank and love God. He alone is worthy. Receive His grace. See His glory.

Prayer:  Father, I will take the plank out of my eye and not criticize You (Mt 7:5).

Promise:  "She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to His words." —Lk 10:39

Praise:  "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus very much" (Jn 11:5).

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, December 16, 1999


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 18, 1999