"Since ye believed in Christ with strong and ardent faith, and ever worshipped His divine and mighty deeds, ye both adorned yourselves with all the splendour of sacred virtues. With your holy brother now, ye are also vouchsafed to dwell with the ranks of Saints on high, O ye sisters of Lazarus; and with him, O wise Mary and Martha, ye pray for us all unto the Master."

The Holy Myrrh-bearers Mary and Martha, together with their brother Lazarus, were especially devoted to Jesus. After Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead (remember the Saturday of Lazarus, which is the Saturday before Palm Sunday each year), they went to Cyprus, where Lazarus became the first Bishop of Kition. One of the most powerful lessons from their holy lives is found in Luke 10:38-42. Here, the Lord has come to see Martha, Mary and Lazarus at their home. While the Lord is teaching, Mary is sitting at his feet, with the rest, while He shares beautiful words of hope, forgiveness and salvation with all present. We are told that Martha, though, is very busy serving everyone, probably the modern equivalent of making sure everyone has a snack and doing housework: "…Martha was distracted with much serving." She becomes frustrated and asks the Lord to direct Mary to help her, instead of just sitting there. Jesus instead directs Martha to seek holy priorities in her life: "… you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." In the end, Jesus teaches Martha, and all who heard his important words, that nothing is more vital than His Gospel. When the Lord speaks to us, we have to remember that everything else can wait!

This month, or any time you get the opportunity, make an effort to teach your children about Sts. Martha and Mary. Download this page and show your children the beautiful icon showing both saints. Then, take out your Bible and read from the 10th Chapter of Luke: take your time, and give them the opportunity to really take in the story—to check for comprehension, go over some of the basic details of the story. For example, ask "Who are Mary, Martha and Lazarus?" "What is Martha doing that is keeping her so busy?" "What is Mary doing while all this is going on?" Then, gradually come to the point that Jesus is trying to make: There is nothing more important than to listen to Him, to take in His words and basically sit ourselves right down at His feet. Everything else, in the end, can wait. Finally, have a closing discussion about things the entire family can do to make sure all energies are focused on God. And act on this discussion, too. For example, the next time you are outside taking a walk with the children, stop for a moment and suggest that everyone take a minute to say a prayer to God, thanking Him for the beauty of nature. Remind your children, often, that there is "always time to pray."