Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours
 
Biographical Information about St. Martin of Tours

“St Martin of Tours and St Nicholas of Bari”
by unknown German Master c. 1450

 
Readings for Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Wisdom 7:22b-8:1
 
In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.
 
Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
and governs all things well.
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Commentary on Wis 7:22b-8:1
 
This passage from the Book of Wisdom describes Wisdom, the spirit of God that guides the faithful. The author captures the character of this spirit with adjectives that only serve to show us the limits of language, trying to describe what is beyond human understanding. It does, however, give us an understanding of the omnipresent spirit of God in all things.
 
Because it is placed with much older wisdom material (i.e. Psalms and Proverbs), the development of human understanding of God’s revelation is somewhat obscured. We see clearly in this passage the evolution of divine inspiration concerning the merciful character of our Heavenly Father. This description, borrowing heavily from Greek philosophical language, and written only 50 years before Christ, provides us with a more comprehensive understanding of God’s will and merciful nature than that of Sacred Scripture written much earlier.
 
CCC: Wis 7:25-26 2500; Wis 7:29-30 2500; Wis 8:1 302
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175
 
R. (89a) Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
The revelation of your words sheds light,
 giving understanding to the simple.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
 
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175
 
Placed within the body of the Psalter, Psalm 119 invites the singer to meditate upon the joys of following God’s law. It prepares the singer for the psalms that follow. Psalms 120-124 are called the “Songs of Ascents,” they are the psalms sung as pilgrims approach their goal – the temple of the Lord. Psalm 119 prepares them for the joy of their arrival.
 
The words in Wisdom described the spirit contained in it, and the Psalm now describes the Word of God, everlasting in Heaven. The indelible and eternal character of God’s creation is proclaimed in this song of praise to God’s Law.
 
CCC: Ps 119:90 2465
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Gospel: Luke 17:20-25
 
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
 
Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
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Commentary on Lk 17:20-25
 
In this selection from St. Luke’s Gospel, the Pharisees ask Jesus to tell them when the Kingdom of God will come. Throughout Luke, Jesus has been denying that the messianic age will come simply by following Mosaic Law and the Prophets (even the greatest of them – John the Baptist).[4] He is now confronted with the question: “Where is the Kingdom of God?” He answers that it is already among them (referring to his own ministry and the effect it has on his followers).
 
Jesus’ description of the “coming days” is also a reference to the coming destruction of Jerusalem.”(1) Many of the sayings collected here appear in the Olivet Discourse, where they more explicitly refer to the doom that awaits the city and the Temple (Matthew 24-25; Mark 13). (2) Mention of the days of the Son of man (17:22) is echoed later in Luke when reference is made to the ‘days’ when foreign armies will besiege the city (Luke 19:43) and the ‘days’ when the Temple will be devastated (Luke 21:6).”[5]

To his disciples, Jesus makes it clear that his coming passion will cause them to flee, and that doubt will assail them. He reassures them of his eternal presence as he tells them that, once he has gone from them, he will not be coming back, but at the same time he will always be with them (“just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be [in his day]”).
 
CCC: Lk 17:19-31 2463
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Reflection:
 
Today Scripture begs us to unzip the bag of skin we live in and look inside.  The reading from the Book of Wisdom describes the spirit of the Wisdom of God, how when it is taken up by those who believe, it becomes a force within us that guides and heals; it infuses us with holiness itself.
 
The Lord says the same thing in St. Luke’s Gospel.  He is asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God (which he proclaims unceasingly) will come.  We can almost see the expression on his face when he hears this question.  It would be one of amused surprise and he answers: “’The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.’”
 
They don’t understand, of course, unless they are among those who already believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  Then they would see.  The Kingdom of God flows into them from the Word of God incarnate before them.  His disciples must “kind of get it.”  But he takes them aside and gives them a little better explanation because, while they may understand that Jesus “is” the Kingdom of God, they need to understand that it is not just his physical presence but something more.
 
He explains that once he is physically taken up, the “Kingdom of God” must flash to every part of God’s creation: “just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in his day). “
 
So that lightning flash has happened, and the Lord seared his presence in our hearts as the Holy Spirit entered us in Baptism.  We refresh it with the sacraments to keep the grace (that indwelling connectedness, our share of God’s life) strong within us.  And today we look inside and thank God for that gift that gives us strength to face all things and endure all obstacles.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St Martin of Tours and St Nicholas of Bari” by unknown German Master c. 1450.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 44:125, p.150.
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p.140.