November 11 2020 - St. Martin of Tours - What we were obliged to do

 

Many of us are familiar with images, perhaps from stained glass windows, of St. Martin of Tours, the Roman soldier, a top his horse, cutting his cloak in two in order to give half his cloak to the cold beggar. Not often depicted is what happened shortly after. In a dream or a vision, Martin is said to have been visited by the Christ Child, dressed in the cloak he had given to the beggar. The Christ Child said, “Martin, still a catechumen, has covered me with his garment.”

Martin, living centuries before great saints of the poor like Francis or Vincent de Paul, was for the early church a model of charity, a reminder of the Lord’s teaching that what we do for the least of our brethren we do for him.

How providential that our nation observes Veteran’s Day on the feast of St. Martin! For Martin’s story helps us, I think, to appreciate the sacrifices of our Veteran’s. They, in a very real sense, served Christ by serving their nation, the people of the nation, us. The put themselves in the service of the defense of our lives and our freedom, putting their own lives on the line, for us, and in doing so, they did for Christ. 

Like the servants in yesterday’s Gospel who claimed “we have done what we were obliged to do”, many of our veterans entered military service because they experienced a strong sense of duty and obligation to serve and preserve and fight for freedom, for their families freedoms, for their nation’s freedoms. 

And like Martin tearing his cloak, that service costs something. Many of our veterans sustain physical or psychological wounds that they carry for the rest of their lives—an amputated limb, or an amputated part of their psyche, post-traumatic stress, the trauma of witnessing their brothers-in-arms killed in action. 

So we do well to thank a Veteran today for his service, for we likely do not know the extent of his service, the price he continues to pay. And perhaps that word of gratitude might alleviate that ongoing price of service.

May we live ever grateful for the freedoms we enjoy because of the sacrificial service of others, may we do everything we can to preserve that freedom, and to use that freedom for the greater good, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the nations of the world will seek to work together in harmony and peace; we pray to the Lord:

That our homeland will be preserved from violence and terrorism; we pray to the Lord

That even in armed conflict, we may keep clearly before us the defense of all human rights, especially the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

For all veterans experiencing physical or psychological, that they may know God’s healing and strength, and that all veterans may be blessed for their self-sacrifice.

For all veterans who gave their life for our liberty, and for the repose of the souls of all of our beloved dead, family, friends, those whose names are written in our parish necrology, deceased priests and religious, for all the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

God, Almighty Father, creator of mankind and author of peace, as we are ever mindful of the cost paid for the liberty we possess, help us to use that liberty to promote peace and justice and spread saving Gospel of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.