Fr Peter Helman

Dear beloved,

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours and Theologian, born in 316 CE in Pannonia (modern Hungary) to pagan parents. As his father was a Roman officer, the law obliged Martin to serve in the army too. At the time of conscription, he was a Christian proselyte and catechumen, preparing for baptism. So, with conflicting commitments to church and state, he counted himself a soldier of Christ and served unwillingly.

While on campaign in Amiens, he saw at the gates of the city a beggar near death from the severe cold of midwinter, so Martin, with sword, cut his cloak in two and gave the beggar one half. That night, Jesus appeared to Martin in a vision wearing the half-cloak. Caught up in the vision, Martin heard Jesus say to the angels surrounding him, “Martin is only a catechumen, but he has clothed me with this garment.” Martin was baptized shortly after but remained, however reluctantly, a military man.

Within two years, barbarian hordes invaded Gaul, and Martin petitioned his commander for release from duties as a soldier. “Hitherto,” he said, “I have faithfully served Caesar. Let me now serve Christ.” The commander charged him with cowardice, so Martin offered to stand unarmed and naked in the front line of battle, trusting the power of Christ’s cross to uphold his life. The following day, the barbarians surrendered without a fight, and Martin was released from service.
In the years ahead, Martin lived as an anchorite on an island off the coast of Italy, until he befriended Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, who made him an exorcist. Martin endeavored still as an ascetic, even after his consecration as Bishop of Tours in 371 CE. He built a monastery outside of Tours that survived until the French Revolution—he is the forefather of monasticism in France. He is said to have conversed with angels and received in solitude visions of Saint Peter and Paul. He is called the Merciful because of his generosity and care for the poor. He died in 397 CE.

Today we celebrate the power of Christ to supply him with grace proclaim the gospel and work miracles. We bid Martin to pray for us to God that we too might strive in this life to champion peace and goodwill among all people.

Yours in Christ,
Peter+