Many of you are aware of the life of St. Martin of Tours. He was born in the Roman province of Pannonia, which is now part of Hungary, just a few years after Emperor Constantine granted religious freedom to Christians. Before this time, Christians were routinely arrested, tortured and put to death for no other reason than for being followers of Jesus Christ.
While still a young boy, Martin became attracted to the Christian faith, to the disdain of his parents. This led him to secretly study the Catholic faith with the help of his local parish priest. Because of a law that required sons of veterans to serve in the military, he entered the army as a soldier at age 15. Three years later as an officer, he had an encounter with a half-naked beggar that changed his life forever.
While on horseback, he encountered this man on a bitterly cold and windy day. Moved with compassion, he sliced off half his expansive mantle and wrapped the poor, ill-clad man in it, to the jeers of many who were in his retinue. Later that night he saw Jesus in a dream, clothed with the garment cut from his own who said, “See this mantle that Martin, yet a catechumen gave me!”
Moved with emotion at the comment of Jesus that he was not yet baptized, he received this essential sacrament a short time afterward. He later studied for the priesthood and was ordained a priest and later a bishop.
A few days ago, the Lord Jesus inspired me to give a warm winter coat that had been hanging in my closet to a poor man. It had been hanging there for years in ‘proverbial mothballs.’ Since God seemed to want me to give it away personally, I hung it in my office and waited for God to send me someone. It did not take long.
Only a few days later, just before our first major cold snap and show of ice, I spied a raggedly-dressed man sitting against the side of our office. After introducing myself, it was evident he had mental disease and had been drinking. He owned nothing but the tattered clothes on his back. He immediately put the coat on after I gave it to him. I made sure it had a sandwich, protein bar and bottle of water in its deep pockets. Because of his mental disease, he left before I could do anything further. I knew that it was Jesus who walked away with the hood pulled up (Mt 25:31-46).
I know I am not as holy as St. Martin of Tours, but I want to be, with God’s grace. I could not help thinking what went through his mind on that cold and windy day.
Please look around your home and see if there is any warm clothing that has been hanging in your closets or laying in your drawers, that Jesus who lives in the poor might need.
In closing, please allow me to thank all of our many donors who allow us to love and serve Jesus who lives in the poor and needy (Mt 25:31-46). St. Martin of Tours, pray for us!
