Honored each year on July 29, Saint Martha became a serious person in Christ’s era. The sister of SaintsMary Magdala and Saint Lazarus, she came from the village of Bethany, several miles away from Jerusalem. As biblical history notes, Jesus “loved” these three and was often a guest in St. Martha’s home. And it was St. Martha who certainly was one of the first to believe in Jesus. Her impact on Christ and his disciples has earned her the saintly reputation.
For example, in Saint Luke’s Gospel, 10:38-42, he described St. Marth as toiling in the kitchen while her sister sat at Christ’s feet: In his Gospel, he wrote: “As they continued their journey, He entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Hiand said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.’ The Lord said to her in reply, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.’”
His words helped St. Martha to understand that even noteworthy work can conceal the merits of the interior life dedicated to prayer and the word of God that can feed the soul. These define the value of people’s daily activities. But in St. Martha’s situation, scripture does praise her for her work to feed her guests. That was a model of diligence to help others and is a strong witness of faith
Historians have recorded that St. Martha’s cooking often focused on peaches, honey, homemade bread and possibly lemons and mint. It is also possible that she prepared dishes with fish, olives, figs, dates, and grapes, all of which were staples of the era.
St. Martha is honored as the patroness of homemakers, cooks, innkeepers, domestic servants, and people who offer hospitality. Much artwork featuring St. Martha depicts her cooking or at the tomb of her brother St. Lazarus. As patron saint of cooks and homemakers, Saint Martha should inspire today’s Christians to offer meals that gather family and friends together.
Reflection: “Hospitality becomes holy when offered with love. St. Martha — the Lord’s worker and servant.”
Lentil Soup
For centuries, the legume, lentil, has been a valued source of fiber and protein. They were a staple ingredient in the ancient Israeli diet as is mentioned in both the Old and the New Testament of the Bible. Lentils likely were also a regular part of the diet that Jesus and his disciples
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup orange/red lentils
1/2 cup rice
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrot
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 lemon, cut in half
In a large pot add 10 cups of water, the lentils, rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and onions, and brown the onions for 5 minutes. Next, add the carrots to the onions and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the onion and carrot mix to the soup pot, add the remaining 1 teaspoons salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander and black pepper and let cook for another 15 minutes. Serve soup with parsley or cilantro on top and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Refrigerate leftovers.
