For the Love of Us All

WOULD YOU       (  SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS  )

He was born in Hungary

The son of a pagan officer

In the Roman army

He joined the army himself

But had wanted

To become a Christian

From an early age

So he decided

To leave the army

But became imprisoned

Because he was in effect

“A conscientious objector”

After the war

He was let go

There is a famous story

About Martin

Where he meets a nearly naked beggar

In the street

Martin cuts his cloak in ½

And gives half of his cloak

To the beggar

Later on that night

Martin had a dream

In which Christ appeared to him

Wearing the exact same cloak

That Martin gave the beggar

“What you do

To the least of my brothers

That you do unto me”

Shortly thereafter

Martin became baptized

Martin lived as a solitary monk

And later on became Bishop of Tours

Martin’s life

Was characterized by a growing reputation

As a wonder worker in healing lepers

And even

Raising a dead man back to life

In old age

Martin had a premonition

Of his death

His followers asked Martin

Not to leave them

Martin responded by praying,

“Lord---if your people still need me

I do not refuse the work

Let your will be done”

“Is it not to share your food

With the hungry

And to provide the poor wanderer

With shelter

When you see the naked

To clothe them

And not to turn away

From your own flesh and blood”                                              Isaiah 58:7

Dear Lord

We pray to you

For the same kind

Of love, compassion, and charity

As Saint Martin of Tours

He literally

Gave the shirt off of his back

To a beggar in the street

I ask myself

Presented with a similar situation

WOULD I respond as Saint Martin of Tours did

WOULD YOU

Robert P. Wallman

11-11-11

Ps        Saint Martin died on November 8^th, 397

            He was buried November 11^th in Tours

            He is the patron Saint of France