Today we have another saint to inspire and guide us. We celebrate the feast of Martin of Tours, who was born in Hungary and grew up in Italy. He had an exciting childhood, born with a pagan parent. At his early age of 15, he was forced to serve in the military and wondered about his future. Though he was at the age of reason, he wanted to enjoy his teenage life. However, he dedicated himself to search for God and decided to be a Catholic, receiving the sacrament of baptism when he was 18. Because of his dedication to prayer and practice of his faith, he said that he was more a monk than an active soldier. It was God’s gift to Martin to consider his inner calling to be dispensed from the military service and to decide to be a soldier of Christ and serve Him. He believed that being a soldier of the Lord, he shouldn’t fight and kill his enemies. He became a disciple of Hilary Poitiers, who was a bishop of Gaul, France (315-367). He was attracted to Bishop Hilary because of his orthodox voice against the Arians, the heretics. He became a monk and had the passion for performing exorcisms and had the willingness to expose the wrong teachings of the Arians and to show mercy towards those who were opposed to the true teachings of the Catholic Church. He was opposed to putting the heretics to death. He was in the monastery, which has been believed to be the first French monastery near Poitiers, and he lived there for a decade. The people of Tours, thru public glamour, made him their bishop. His pastoral zeal made him known because of his passion to offer his life to God. It was said that his community of monks, when he was dying, asked him not to leave them, and Martin recited this prayer: “Lord, if your people still need me, I do not refuse the work. Your will be done.”
Learning about St. Martin of Tours, we need to realize that his life during his time was difficult and challenging; however, he took a risk. I am aware that as we try to carry out our works, first and foremost, think of how we make decisions according to our conscience. We pray for more guidance and wisdom to think that caring of ourselves is also caring and loving others. When we put Christ’s teachings first and keep His commandments, then we will never make a bad decision.
The gospel is another reminder that we need not worry when the hour of the “Son of Man” would come and be revealed. Just do the normal routine we do daily. Let us not be confused or terrified, preparing for instance to stock up on food. Our life here on earth will certainly end, but in the last verse Jesus says, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.” It is clear that our future with God is not about the preservation of the body; surely the body remains on earth and decays, but the spirit lives with God for all eternity.
St. Martin of Tours left us a legacy to be faithful to God and to look forward to our final destiny. There are so many things we can do to advance our ministry of evangelization. When we are blessed to know and hear the Word, please make a bold step to share and proclaim God to others.
Choose and be prepared to be with Jesus Christ, our Lord.
St. Martin, pray for us.
Fr. Arlon, osa
