32nd Week, Monday, Nov 11: Titus 1:1-9 / Luke 17:1-6
Titus was made the “overseer” of the Church of Crete. Like the other “pastoral letters” to Timothy, this letter contains Paul’s instructions to organize and govern the local community, particularly with the help of “presbyters” or elders. The “episcopos” of which Paul speaks is not yet the monarchic bishop of several decades later.
It is hard to place the sayings of our Gospel today (Lk 17:1-6) in a coherent context. They rather look like disparate statements about key concerns and messages of Luke: concern for the lowly, the need of forgiving one another, and faith. When Luke speaks about scandal, he is not thinking of giving any bad example, but of obstacles that make people stumble, like Jesus sitting at table with sinners, something totally unacceptable to many Jews. We take the message of forgiveness.
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People who are given the responsibility of teaching and formation have an honourable as well as a tremendous task on their shoulders. But the fundamental requirement is that they must practise what they preach. Whether as parents or teachers or priests, they form and teach others by their example, especially the young. The young may not listen to words of wisdom, but they will surely observe our actions and examples. It is by our actions and examples that they form their character and habits in life. So, it is from us adults that the young learn how to forgive or how to be revengeful, how to love or how to hate, how to be generous or how to be selfish. If the young learn from us either the good or the bad, then we as Christians can also be a source of inspiration or a source of scandal to others. For that reason, St. Paul urged Titus in the 1st reading to choose church leaders carefully. It is by their life and example that they lead and teach.
In the gospel Jesus also told us to watch ourselves and to be aware of our actions and examples. We also must realize that our actions and examples flow from our hearts, and Jesus must be there, in our hearts. So, if Jesus is not there then our actions and examples are leading others nowhere.
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Prayer
God of mercy and compassion, your Son Jesus Christ, has brought us together as a community of sinners that knows that you have pardoned us. When our weaknesses threaten our unity, remind us of our responsibility for one another. Let your unifying Spirit give us the strength to care for one another and to do all we can to remain a living, forgiving and welcoming community. May we meet in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
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Saint Martin of Tours
Feast Day November 11
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.
