Memorial of St. Martin of Tours
St. Martin of Tours, Bishop of this city, appointed in 371. He was born in Hungary and abandoned a military career in order to become a religious. It was during his time as a soldier that the famous episode took place of his cutting his cloak in half to clothe a beggar suffering from the cold. He went on to found several monasteries, including that of Ligugé, o the oldest in Europe. See also: The French Saint Who Was Not French.
Other featured Saints
St. Veranus, bishop (†fifth century). Governed the Diocese of Vence, France with wisdom and sanctity; he supported the letter of St. Leo the Great against monophysitism.
St. Theodore the Studite, abbot (†826). Abbot of the Stoudios Monastery in Constantinople; under his governance were formed saints and martyrs who died as victims of the iconoclast persecutions.
St. Bartholomew, abbot (†1055). Disciple of St. Nilus of Rossano, whom he helped found the Abbey of St. Mary of Grottaferrata, near Rome; he developed this monastery into a school of arts and sciences.
St. Marina de Omura, virgin and martyr (†1634). Dominican tertiary who was imprisoned and burned alive in Nagasaki, Japan, for her Christian Faith.
Blessed Vincent Eugene Bossilkov, bishop and martyr (†1952). Religious of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, he was tortured and shot by the Bolshevist regime in Bulgaria for refusing to renounce the Pope.
Blessed Vincenza Maria, virgin (†1855). With Blessed Charles Steeb, she founded the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona, Italy.
Blessed Alice Kotowska, virgin and martyr (†1939). Religious from the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection, she was killed by a Nazi firing squad in Laski Piasnica, Poland.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Wis 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.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175 (R.89)
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord..
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens. R.
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm. R.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you. R.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple. R.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes. R.
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me. R.
Gospel – Lk 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.”
