The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-29
MARTHA:
A Story of the First Easter

Spring in the year of our Lord 80.
To the east of Bethany, the land all
green and red and gold with spring
crops and blossoms, with the PINK
mountains of Moab hanging against
the horizon far away: to the West'
the rising slope of Olivet, with It's
gray-green masses of dark olive trees.
In a garden on the side OF the Town
nearest the hill, nestles house some
what more pretentious than the others
which make the little village half
hidden now in the white of the bios
soming almond trees.
The man who leans against the low
narapet of the roof is unconscious OF
the beauty of the landscape before
him. With eyes wide but unseeing
he gazes through and beyond 1t, as
one who in a dream sees things In
visible. The footstep of the woman
who mounts to the roof from the
house below does not rouse him from
his abstraction: it is not until her
hand is laid upon his arm that he
awakens as from trance and turns,
half dreamily, to look into her grave,
sweet, troubled face.
Lazarus, where can our sister be!
Thou art here dreaming ever-know-
est not that it is day since Mary
went following the Master along the
Jerusalem path? and she is not re-
turned" The voice was anxious, per-
turbed.
Mary? Is it but yesterday she
went? Verify, the passing of time
seems now to me as nothing" The
voice was toneless. surely she Is
somewhere with the other women
She is safe"
But always before they have come
back at nightfall. she and the Master,
to lodge here. My heart tells me
some evil has befallen them. He is
so brave, to thrust himself every day
into yonder den of lions. Some day
he will not return"
And if he does not? Death can
but send his soul into the place where
| would so willingly have fingered
Why did he bring me back into this
troubled world?"
ITO comfort US, my brother" She
was leaning beside the parapet. al
ways where he comes he brings com
fort. We are so sad. All day we
had been saying to each other, it
would not have been so if the Master
had been here. And then he came
and the tears Of love and sympathy
welled from his eyes, broke in his
voice-and then, to comfort us, he
brought thee back"
"Ah, we'll, it is for good, it may
be-" There was tender affection
in the brothers voice. And yet the
world is strange place to me, since
I have known the other land"
Martha had hardly listened. Full
of memories, she went on as if tc
herself. "He looked back, yesterday
just where the read turns out of sight
and waved to me a second farewell
Mary and the rest were ahead of him
His face was as if he could not bear
to let go a sight of this dear home
Dost thou remember, brother, how
always he would say in speaking Of
us that he loved us all, and that oul
house was the only home he knew
May it long be home to him!"
cit seems more than half a year
since first he abode with U.S."
YEA, verily-yet it was at the last
Feast of Tabernacles that he came
Thou didst go into the city to the
ceremonies, but he stayed behind, il
need of rest. Our booth of greer
boughs was built below in the court
1t was brilliant day, with the air Of
spring, and Mary and the Master sal
there in the booth. I could see then
as Ipassed to and fro I remember
how it reused my anger, to see he1
sitting so cool and untroubled there
while spent all my strength to d.
him honor, for I loved him from thu
first sight of him, though was no
yet his diciple. 1t was the first time
/ had seen him. All, am sorr,
enough now for the hasty words
spoke-I understood so little. Blu
when he spoke of the good part
left my work and came and listened
too"
Yea, thou didst. And l, too, re
member that when l and my guest
came home that night from the cit,
the meal was not prepared. Neve
did such a thing happen in Martha
house before" He smiled kindly.
They say that he loves Mary best.
went on the sister. cit may be sc
But I cannot think him unmindful O
my service to him. I know he ha
thanked me many a time for littl
comforts that / made for him, thougl
never would have known how t
break upon his head a box of pei
fume. Dear Mary" then with sue
den remembrance at the though
of the absent one, "oh, why does sh
not come? And, brother, look, Oh
look to the west! How dark it grows
And it is only noon! Lazarus, I ar
afraid"
The brother drew her to him an