8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
John 11:20-35
Jesus and Mary and Martha
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
I have used this story before, but I just read a young questioning why man should be forced to worship God...The questioner seems that the Bible reads as though we are required to worship God...When I read the young man's thoughts on worship, I immediately thought of Martha and Mary...They loved Jesus with all of their hearts, their strength, and their souls...
St. John writes that through Jesus all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made...He was with God at the very beginning...In Jesus is life, and that life is the Light of all mankind...It seems that Mary and Martha knew Jesus very well...And they believe and say that He is the Messiah and the Son of God...And when He tells Martha that He is the Resurrection and the Life, she believes Him...And so does her sister Mary...Both Martha and Mary believe that their brother Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there the day that he did die...They know of His healing abilities...The sisters believe in His Greatness and Divine power...Mary and Martha believe completely and absolutely in Him...
Imagine Jesus personally coming to your house...How would you explain your feelings about Him to others as having Him personally visit you?...Saying a prayer in your house, how sacred...Saying grace at your table, how holy...Divine Comfort or solid comfort or the best of comfort, with Him in your house...Furthermore, how does one go about trying to explain how Mary must have felt sitting at the LORD's feet listening to what He had to say and listening to His Voice?...The Voice that speaks only Truth...The Voice that is the Light of mankind...The Voice that speaks from eternal wisdom...The Voice that was with God in the beginning...When I think about sitting at the feet of Jesus I think just how comforting and relaxing that would be...Security, a great peace, and Great Comfort are the first things that come into my mind...A very deep relaxation that He is near...Listening to what He has to say, knowing that through Him all things are made, and believing that He is the Messiah and the Resurrection and the Life...Mary knows what it feels and felt like...His Voice, just the sound of His Voice...The Voice that speaks the Word of God...It is the Greatest of all feelings...
God is LOVE...This feeling that Mary and Martha had toward Jesus, may have come from Jesus having Absolute LOVE and is different from earthly love...The Divine LOVE of Jesus and God is what the Greeks called AGAPE LOVE...Jesus and God have this Greatest Kind of LOVE...This LOVE is completely unconditional and unfettered...This is the Greatest LOVE of all...
In the stories of Martha and Mary, I can see that they personally knew Jesus...Jesus LOVED the two sisters...They could see and feel He was unique...Jesus would never force someone to LOVE or worship another...Si, if one believes that God is LOVE, LOVE would never force things like worship and love on another...Mary and Martha just loved to worship our LORD and Savior, after they got to know Him and saw and felt all the great, divine, and sacred things He did and does...Jesus is more than a man, and I am not sure it is fair to call Him a man...There would be nothing usual for Mary and Martha want to worship a Man (whom they saw do spectacular things) , and who raised their brother back to life after four days of death...Maybe a better question would be how could they not?...