Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of John (11: 19-27) in which Jesus comes to Mary and Martha after the death of their brother Lazarus.As we hear in this Gospel, Martha was the sister of Mary of Bethany and Lazarus. Fr Paul notes, her feast comes a week after that of St Mary of Magdala because of the old and probably incorrect tradition that Mary Magdalene was the same person as Martha’s sister. Modern scholarship has made things clearer and, since 2021, the lives of Martha, Mary and Lazarus are now celebrated on this date, 29 July, which was formerly just assigned to Martha alone.So today, as friends of Jesus, Fr Paul invites us to pray with the other friends of Jesus, Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus pray for us!