Skip to main content

Believing Before Seeing: Lessons from Saint Martha

In this inspiring homily for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Fr. Chris Alar reflects on one of the most powerful professions of faith in the Gospel. Martha believed before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Her unwavering trust teaches us that faith precedes sight. Even in the midst of grief and uncertainty, she placed her confidence in Jesus, becoming a model of authentic Christian discipleship. In this homily, Fr. Chris Alar explores: - Martha's extraordinary confession of faith. - The connection between Martha's faith and St. Peter's profession of faith. - Why Lazarus' resurrection points to the greater Resurrection of Christ. - How Baptism, Reconciliation, and the Holy Eucharist allow us to share in Christ's victory over sin and death. May this reflection strengthen your faith and inspire you to trust Christ even before you see His plans unfold. "Faith is believing before seeing; sight is the reward of faith." Readings for July 29th 2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072926.cfm

Added to Favorites!
Added to Watch Later!

You might also like...

In today’s Gospel, we see the profound blessing of hearing and observing the Word of God—and no one exemplifies this more perfectly than our Blessed Mother Mary. She devoured the Scriptures, rejoiced in the Word made flesh, and prepared the way for Christ. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase; I must decrease.”
As Fr. Chris Alar explains, the evening we now call Halloween began not as a pagan ritual, but as a sacred Christian vigil—All Hallows’ Eve, the holy night before the solemnity of All Saints’ Day. This feast, instituted in the 700s, has always been a time to honor the saints and pray for the faithful departed. The Church’s ancient practice of vigils reflected the truth that holy days begin at sundown, anticipating the joy of what is to come.
Today's Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112625.cfm As we reach the final days of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to lift our eyes toward the ultimate realities: Christ’s return, the purification of the world, and God’s unshakeable plan for His people. Fr. Chris reminds us that the Scriptures, the Catechism, and the Church-approved Marian apparitions all speak with one voice: we are already living in the “last hour” (CCC 670), and yet God’s mercy remains our refuge and our hope.