Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Readings: Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11; Lk 16:9-15
Notes: What we value is how we judge. Money or persons? Power or love? Depending on what you value, I can predict how you will judge. Sometimes we judge out of the fear of judging. Saint Martin can provide us some insights.
In our first reading today, Saint Paul expresses gratitude and gladness over the faithfulness of others. I count a total of 12 names in this small section of the letter. Many elsewhere. Paul knows, as we all should know, that faith is a transmitted reality. Of all the ways the LORD, our God wants His Love and Glory to be accepted it is best when transmitted from person to person. Eye to eye, ear to ear, hand to hand, heart to heart.
What God esteems is your story of love. Love recognized, love received, love returned.
The psalmist says it well:
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works (PS 145:4-5)
Love. The rest is an abomination in so far as our behavior goes. Yet love endures even evil and looking beyond to the salvation of every soul. God wants His Love and Glory to be accepted and transmitted from person to person. Eye to eye, ear to ear, hand to hand, heart to heart.
Our saint today, Saint Martin of Tours (a conscientious objector who wanted to be a monk), advocated that we see the person as the priority over the person’s action. He advocated for leniency for those who were engaged in heresy. It is easy to be judgmental. It is far more risky to rely upon the mystery of divine love by way of forgiveness beyond the obvious. It is a mystery no more. Just gaze upon the Cross.
Franciscan Reflection
Martin’s worry about cooperation with evil reminds us that almost nothing is either all black or all white. The saints are not creatures of another world: They face the same perplexing decisions that we do. Any decision of conscience always involves some risk. If we choose to go north, we may never know what would have happened had we gone east, west, or south. A hyper-cautious withdrawal from all perplexing situations is not the virtue of prudence; it is in fact, a bad decision, for “not to decide is to decide.”
Source: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-martin-of-tours/
Personal reflection: I very much want to do a hyper-cautious withdrawal. It has been decades of going all out and my spirit is drained. I am trying any number of refreshment techniques to revive my spirit of love. And I take most personally the warning about hyper-cautious withdrawal: It is not the virtue of prudence; it is in fact, a bad decision, for “not to decide is to decide.”
Go, preach: I tell you as I tell myself. We are a family of faithful needing each other. I can name at least a hundred of faithful I praise God. Go, preach the gospel by the work of your life. Eye to eye, ear to ear, hand to hand, heart to heart.
First Reading
Now to him who can strengthen you, according to my Gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Responsorial
I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Gospel
The [leadership], who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry