In Praise of St. Martha among the Virgos

Since last Wednesday was St. Patrick’s day and, therefore, the celebration of a Patron Saint, I think now is the time to express my idea to make someone else a patron Saint. Although I am not Catholic or Anglican, I have always found the diversity of patron saints to be a very curious beast to wrap one’s brain around. In looking at a list of patron saints, I find it very neat that they not only have Patron Saints against serious diseases like cancer (St. Aldegundis) and AIDS (St. Aloysius Gonzaga) but also against more common problems like Headaches (St.Acacius of Byzantium) and earaches (St. Cornelius). Still, I do not mean to dismiss the impact people’s belief in the Saints have on their lives and the lives of others. After all, the actor Danny Thomas said a prayer to St. Jude when he faced a time of uncertainty (St. Jude being the patron saint of hopeless causes) and in gratitude of his success built a shrine to the saint which is now St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
I bring up the topic of saints because I feel it is time we consider a new patronage of one saint, St. Martha the Wonder Worker of Southern Gaul. A while back I wrote a BLOG piece about how Martha has become a patron saint of the type-a personalities out there. At the time I did not know Martha had already been canonized and is also a patron saint. However, she is the patron saint of those who do manual housework such as butlers, cooks, housemaids, and dietitians (the latter being kind of random, but who am I to argue with the Vatican?). However, I think Martha should also be called upon to be a patron saint of those who take on tasks and approach them with unflinching anal retention and attention to detail that most people take medication to stop. I even thought up a new name for her: “St. Martha among the Virgos” (Virgo being the astrological sign associated with intense attention to detail).
I’m sure most of you are familiar of the story of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus (all three of them have been canonized, a veritable Beatified Bunch) as detailed in the 10th chapter of Luke. While Martha, as only Martha can, works hard to prepare the house for their guest (Jesus), Mary is sitting around all the while listening to Jesus and Martha protests. Jesus tells Martha to not be mad but that only one thing is needed and Mary has chosen it. The fact that Martha listened to what he said and obeyed, in my opinion, speaks volumes about her faith. Had I been in her position I may have said: “Ok, then fix your own $%&# dinner!”
Although it is apparent the Bible story favored Mary in this case, Martha still personifies a vital part of any faith/belief that (at times) can get put on the side, putting your beliefs into action. In the new testament book of James, he writes that faith without action is dead. Islam dictates that all Muslims must engage in Zakat, a practice of charitable giving of money or deeds in an individual’s community. During my tenure as moderator of my church, I did try to make it my priority to not only talk about doing things but to do something even if it was not thought out properly and may not succeed.
Doing the heavy lifting in any group, spiritual of secular, seems to be something everyone stresses is needed, but nobody wants to do. This is understandable, it is easy to believe something but putting it into practice is always the hard part. St. Martha may serve us as an example of realizing the importance of those people willing to come forward and get their hands dirty. After all, Martha was mad because she was doing ALL the work, not because she was doing the work. Furthermore, Martha’s expression of her faithfulness was rewarded when Jesus brought her brother, Lazarus, back from the dead.
I close this post with asking you “are you a Martha?” If you’re not, that’s ok, but maybe you should think of who the Marthas are in your life and acknowledge their work and the impact it has on your faith and/or your beliefs. If you are a Martha, you may very well be overworked, under appreciated, and wonder why you are doing all this $%&^ for someone or something else. For you out there, I leave you with a writing that Mother Teresa kept on her wall at her orphanage in Calcutta that was based on “The Paradoxical Commandments” by Dr. Kent Keith:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and your God. It was never between you and them anyway.