The traditional feast of St. Martha has, in recent times, included her sister, Mary of Bethany and their brother, Lazarus to reflect their lives and unique relationship with the Lord.

To begin, to open their home in Bethany to receive Jesus and His disciples as they travel to various towns and villages of Israel speaks of their generosity and their financial capacity to host the visitors.

The role of Martha and Mary with Jesus speaks of the need to balance between being and doing. Mary's choice to be a disciple of Jesus by taking the traditional stance of sitting by the Master's feet is met with objection from Martha who used the excuse that Mary was needed to assist her with the work of serving. Jesus' commendation of Mary's choice is not meant to belittle Martha's dedication to service but to place persons before works.

Despite her tacit disappointment later to Jesus that it was too late to save her brother, it was to Martha that Jesus reveals Himself as the Resurrection and the Life and she accedes to this declaration: Yes, Lord. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who was to come into this world.

Lastly, Jesus weeping over Lazarus' death showed that the Lord grieved like anyone else over the loss of a loved one and He raised him up. Taken together, theirs is a "holy family."