31st Week, Saturday, Nov 11
Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27 / Luke 16:9-15
Psychologist Rollo May has a provocative passage about a community in his book Man in Search of Himself. He says: "Dr. Walter Cannon has shown in his study of 'voodoo death' that primitive people may be literally killed by being psychologically isolated from the community. There have been observed cases of natives who, when socially ostracized and treated by their tribes as though they did not exist, have actually withered and died." In today's reading Paul makes it clear that the Christian community should never exclude anyone. We are God's family and should treat each other as such.
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How graciously do we reach out to the members of the Christian community? “We take almost more care to conceal our love than our hate.” Ludwig Borne
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In the last chapter of this long letter, Paul sends greetings to all he knows. It is a great quality of an apostle to know people by name. We all like to be personally remembered. For most, he has something nice to add. That is the sign of a great leader. He mentions 24 names (most are omitted in this reading). Five out of the 24 are women. Some feminists want us to believe that Paul was a male chauvinist. Perhaps they have overlooked this fact. Many of the names here mentioned are found in ancient documents and inscriptions. They held high positions in public life. A sign that even in apostolic times, Christians were of great importance in Rome. An insignificant small group would have merited persecution.
Tertius: the stenographer who took this letter down, adds his greeting. Paul always dictated his letters. A pity he did not find the time to correct the transcript. We would understand his letters better. But then Scripture professors would not earn their bread with enough sweat of their brow. Paul ends with a prayer of praise and so shall we.
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A Christian's definition of money is: the means to do justice and charity. As Christians we are always trustees, not ultimate owners who can do with it whatever they like. The two qualities expected of a trustee are trustworthiness and prudence. "Use money to win you friends" (verse 9). The friends we should win are the poor. When we come into the presence of God, it is good if then we have somebody who comes with us and says: he helped me. Our Lord uses the adjective "tainted", which is: infected with a bad quality, without any mitigation, or softening. Much of the world's injustice, exploitation and bondage comes from the wrong use of it. Jesus adds two instructions to it. If you are faithful in little, he can add more responsibility. Not more money but real riches: his grace he can place in human hands. He can entrust to man salvation, not only our own but that of others. The second: you cannot serve God and Mammon. You cannot be the servant of God and the slave of Mammon. This is an Aramaic word and means wealth in whatever form: money, cattle, land.
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Prayer
Lord our God, you tell us today, through your Son, that we cannot be at the same time your friends and the friends of money. Make us see more deeply, that we are money’s friends, when we are unjust to others or tolerate injustice by our silence. But make us also more deeply aware, that we are your friends when we value simple living, when we are not greedy for money or social status, but when we invest in people and use your gifts for serving them and building up your kingdom. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen
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Saint Martin of Tours
Feast Day November 11
One wintry day, young Martin, soldier and catechumen, met a shivering beggar in the street. He cut his cape in two, giving half to the man. That night in a dream St. Martin saw Jesus wearing it and heard him say, “Martin is still only a catechumen, but has covered me with this garment.” Stunned, soon afterward Martin presented himself for baptism.
Martin’s father, a Roman tribune, had arranged for his son’s conscription into the army at age 15. So Martin performed military service until he decided that it contradicted his Christian commitment. Sulpicius Severus, the saint’s first biographer, described the day that Martin became the first Christian conscientious objector:
. . . The barbarians were invading the Gallic provinces. Assembling an army at the city of the Vangiones, Emperor Julian prepared to distribute a bonus to his troops. The men were called up in the customary manner, one by one, until Martin’s turn came. He recognized that moment as a suitable time to ask for his discharge, and he did not think it would be honest for him to accept the bonus when he did not intend to fight. “I have fought for you up to this point,” he said to Caesar. “Now let me fight for God. As for your bonus, let someone who is going to join the battle receive it. I am a soldier of Christ: combat is not permitted me.”
Julian exploded with rage and threatened Martin, calling him a coward.
“If my act is set down to cowardice rather than to faith,” he said, “I shall stand unarmed tomorrow before our lines. In the name of the Lord Jesus and protected only by the sign of the cross, without shield or helmet, I shall penetrate the enemy’s ranks and not be afraid.”
The next day, the enemy sent an embassy to sue for peace, handing over themselves and all that was theirs. From this can anyone doubt that the victory was due to the blessed man—a grace granted to prevent his being sent unarmed into combat?
As there was now no war to fight, Martin got his discharge.
Martin was renowned as a miracle worker, performing many cures and even raising a dead man. Once, for example, he healed St. Paulinus of Nola’s diseased eye by touching it lightly with a fine paintbrush. Martin died on November 11, 397. Because of his reputation, he became one of the most admired saints of the Middle Ages.
