Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
(c.316 – 397)
Psalter: Week IV
White
He was born in the Roman province of Pannonia. He spent some time as a hermit on an island off the Ligurian coast, founded a monastery at Ligugé in western France. The famous story about St Martin is that while a soldier in Amiens he gave half of his military cloak to a beggar and later had a dream in which the beggar revealed himself as Christ. He died in 397.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. 1 Sam 2: 35
I shall raise up for myself a faithful priest who will act in accord with my heart and my mind, says the Lord.
Collect
O God, who are glorified in the Bishop Saint Martin both by his life and death, make new, we pray, the wonders of your grace in our hearts, that neither death nor life may separate us from your love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Wisdom 2:23-3:9
God made man imperishable, he made him in the image of his own nature; it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover. But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If they experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be. God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they. They shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever. They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33(34):2-3,16-19
R/ I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked to destroy their remembrance from the earth. The Lord turns his eyes to the just and his ears to their appeal.
They call and the Lord hears and rescues them in all their distress. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
Gospel Acclamation: Wisdom 2:23-3:9
Alleluia, alleluia! Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 17:7-10
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify these offerings, we pray, Lord God, which we joyfully present in honour of Saint Martin, so that through them our life may always be directed whether in tribulation or in prosperity. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Mt 25: 40
Amen, I say to you: Whatever you did for one of the least of my brethren, you did it for me, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Grant to us who have been restored by this Sacrament of unity, O Lord, perfect harmony with your will in all things, that, just as Saint Martin submitted himself entirely to you, so we, too, may glory in being truly yours. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The words from our Gospel, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty,” serve as a poignant reminder that when we engage in acts of service, we should not necessarily expect any show of gratitude or reward. We should serve out of love for God and others. True service is not about getting something in return. It is about selflessly giving of ourselves to others. Jesus stands as the most outstanding example of service and humility. His earthly mission was characterised by service and sacrificial giving. Without expecting thanks or reward, Jesus demonstrated profound love in his service to humanity. Jesus is a great model for any discourse about humility. Philippians 2: 5-11 beautifully captures his humility. We must follow Jesus’ example of serving others out of pure love without harbouring expectations. Though the servant may not express the wish to be thanked, Jesus assures us today that humble service is inherently rewarding. Let us seek the Lord’s guidance to cultivate humility, enabling us put others before ourselves, and serve them out of love.