+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Martin of Tours. He is a patron of France and a founder of monasticism there. Martin was born in a territory that is now part of Hungary in 316. His father was a pagan officer in the Roman army. Martin was pressured to serve as well – though he successfully obtained a discharge due to conscientious objection - to pursue his real calling as a monk. While he was establishing himself and some followers in monastic life – he was elected bishop of Tours by popular acclaim in 372. He accepted the position but lived separately from the cathedral with the monks. He was a very pastoral kind of bishop visiting his flock and personally attending to their needs. He even used the power of healing among them that is given to all priests. He courageously went about destroying pagan shrines and idols in his diocese and replaced them with churches. He died on this date in 397.
The first reading today speaks of the prophecy of the coming of the Spirit upon Jesus: to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to the prisoners. This was the mission of not only Jesus, but upon those he would send – the bishops and their helpers – the priests. Martin of Tours was such an anointed servant of the Lord.
The gospel passage reflects the spirit of Martin's compassion and desire to serve the needs of the sheep of his own flock: he personally fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed strangers, clothed the naked, cared for the sick and visited the imprisoned. On Judgment Day Martin will certainly be among the blessed who will take their place at the right hand of God.
The question I pose is this: will we? will we have we sufficiently allowed the Spirit of our Confirmation to work through us to minister to the needs of all?
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