On a cold winter day at the gate of Amiens, a young Roman military officer met a beggar. The beggar was barely clothed. Martin had already given away most of his possessions. He took his sword and cut his military cloak in half and gave it to the naked beggar. According to his biographer Sulpicius Severus, Martin was visited that night by Christ in a dream. Christ was wearing the half-cloak.
Martin was soon baptized and left his military life. He told those in command that he was now a soldier of Christ.
He became a disciple of Hilary of Poitiers (361) and founded a monastic community at Liguge. In 371, he was Bishop of Tours. As with many saints, he did not desire the bishopric but was obedient to what was asked of him.
Today, let us reflect on the Gospel verse - “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40, NRSV).
O Lord, open our eyes and heal us from the blindness that keeps us from seeing you.
© 2026, Lawain McNeil, Mission Surrender, LLC.